The fact that some of their research was flawed might additionally explain why I also have almost no "stereotypical" autism symptoms and always come up as NT on tests. Interesting. Maybe they will learn not to stereotype us so much lol
My motor skills were always fine growing up but have been impacted by a medical condition in adulthood. I can't run, for example. Only in very short bursts but it will usually make me trip or fall.
I've never had issues with learning information, especially not visually. Only very specifically with math but I have dyscalculia.
I completely agree with you. My opinion is that the main distinction between autism and others is the communication style. Everything else is secondary and can be affected by developmental happenstance (dyspraxia) or the environment/culture/experience (introversion, anxiousness). Different mode of communication is something which genuinely seems quite universal among autists. By this I don't mean that I necessarily
like everyone who is autistic, but I really feel like I can understand them, or get what they are trying to get across while I often can't for those not on the spectrum. I am including people with more severe autism (even non-verbals) as I really feel like I can also connect with them better than those not with autism.
Like you, I
pass very easily as someone not neurodiverse. I'm somewhat extroverted, not as sensitive towards sensory things as most people here (besides texture and touch) and have gotten quite skilled at understanding what people are after, and behaving in a manner people expect. However, I do often misunderstand things unintentionally and feel like people don't really
get me, unless they are also on the spectrum. I feel a much closer connection with pretty much everyone on the forum, even people I wouldn't necessarily want to be friends with, than the vast majority of people outside of it.
I wouldn't really have thought I was on the spectrum if two different people who know me well hadn't suggested I was a part of it (mother and ex), and a psychologist specializing in ASD telling me point blank I'm on it, which got me to look more into it (though I haven't been officially diagnosed and don't know if I would be). I also score pretty low on online tests, in the borderline area, though a part of that might be that I diminish or don't notice disregularities.