Latent Autism?

[OkRad]

I am perplexed at how rapildy my autism can increase after a neurological hit.

It was like it was just sitting there, waiting.

When I was 14, a seris of events hit which caused neuro compromise. And the autism just exploded. Prior to that, it was quite mild if at all.

Then, after the accident, it went crazy. I thought it was just the head injury, but the neuro cog testing after a year was A-OK.

So they said, "You have autism, no?"

"Um,,, yes, but not really."

"Ummm, REALLY" they said.

By it going crazy, I mean I acquired new autism symtpoms I never had that I thought were just MTBI symptopms.

Like prosopagnosia, and losing memoriy, and lost skills.

Has anyone else had autism just sitting there and gettign way worse after a neuro event?

I might add that I endured some horrific emotional events which did NOT make the autism worse, but surely exacerbated the other conditions like PTSD

But the neuro parts of autism have now gone nuts.

Makes me scared to age. How many old people have autism and are misdced as dementia?

 

[Meg12]

I wouldn't describe it as latent, but I believe that as we age there are characteristics that can become more difficult to manage. Just as our bodies change in every other way, the autism side effects will change and these changes will be specific to each person. I've been having an increased sensitivity in my sensory areas. This sensitivity has always been true, but it is now (I'm over 40 yrs.) much more unbearable and difficult to hide. I get migraines, nausea, etc. For many years I also drank alcohol too much so this also masked and served as a self-medicating of sorts. Even though I stopped drinking almost 10 years ago, I often think about the time that it helped me function in life and numb out some of my sensory sensitivities. (*side note.... Sarah Hendrickx has a good book regarding the link between autism and alcohol addiction*)

 

[Southern Discomfort]

This article might be of interest for you. Mind you, this isn't a professional's thoughts, just another person with autism I think.

Autistic Regression and Fluid Adaptation

 

[Suzanne]

Not in the sense you are describing, OkRad, but what I am finding is as I grow in a greater understanding of aspergers, I discover many traits, that I just put to one side, believing I am just odd; but now, recognise as being aspergers.

I am in contact with 3 aspie females and all are offically diagnosed and constantly at least 2 of them, it is a case of: yep that is how it is with me etc etc and one, after I said that being in touch with her is so good for me, because I feel less a fraud said back: even through your messages, I can tell you are an aspie Suzanne; no way are you a fraud.

It is all crazy, because I am not officially diagnosed as having social anxiety, but it doesn't matter at all, because I know I have it; so does my husband and others, when they experience me being frightened to go to a public toilet by myself and never say: oh I get that sometimes and never: are you offical etc etc, but with aspergers, a whole different ball game.

But as so typical of me, I deviate.

 

[alastairb]

Not in the sense you are describing, OkRad, but what I am finding is as I grow in a greater understanding of aspergers, I discover many traits, that I just put to one side, believing I am just odd; but now, recognise as being aspergers.

I am in contact with 3 aspie females and all are offically diagnosed and constantly at least 2 of them, it is a case of: yep that is how it is with me etc etc and one, after I said that being in touch with her is so good for me, because I feel less a fraud said back: even through your messages, I can tell you are an aspie Suzanne; no way are you a fraud.

It is all crazy, because I am not officially diagnosed as having social anxiety, but it doesn't matter at all, because I know I have it; so does my husband and others, when they experience me being frightened to go to a public toilet by myself and never say: oh I get that sometimes and never: are you offical etc etc, but with aspergers, a whole different ball game.

But as so typical of me, I deviate.

Yup, I'd agree with a lot of this. I got a late diagnosis last summer, at age 39, and traits that I've always had, but chose to ignore, are, to me at least, significantly more apparent.
I don't think I present any differently to those around me, but I'm more aware, and give more attention to, the things I find difficult....
I've been treated for anxiety and depression for many years, and attributed problems to that. On the bright side, I'm now better able to appreciate the sources of anxiety, in the context of trying to live and work in an NT world, and hopefully will be able to mitigate some of the problem areas.

 

[OkRad]

This article might be of interest for you. Mind you, this isn't a professional's thoughts, just another person with autism I think.

Autistic Regression and Fluid Adaptation

Holy Moly, this hits it bang on. However, I have to say it has often been not stress related only, but also neuro related such as hits to the head or when I had mercury and arsenic issues.

So the one may be fluid, the other may be actual brain damage (tbi) etc.

Fabulous article Thank you for posting. This will help me a lot as I continue to try to understand this thing called autism.