Looking younger than you are?

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I've seen it mentioned in various places that there's apparently a positive correlation between AS (and perhaps other ASDs) and looking significantly younger than your chronological age. Obviously this doesn't apply to everyone on the spectrum, but it does seem common enough.

It certainly does apply to me - lots of people seem to assume I'm in my late teens or so even though I'm 30. My skinny build probably adds a little to it.

When I left the local hospital last month after getting my diagnosis confirmed, I thought that might be worth some small celebration, so I went to a bar and ordered a beer. The bartender looked at me askance and went, "And you're over 18?" (which is the drinking age for bars here, 20 if you want to buy for consumption off the premises) Being in a somewhat good mood, I just grinned a bit and said "A long way over it, actually" while handing him my ID.

If indeed there is a correlation here, I wonder what the underlying factors might be? I probably also add to it by, like many on the spectrum, handling myself a bit awkwardly, but I'm pretty sure it goes for my facial features too; slow physical aging, which I guess is a good thing...

i do not know. i do not have many facial expressions so i have not lived a life of pulling faces. maybe that has something to do with it.

I tend to have a lot of facial hair, so much so that somebody recently offered me an alcoholic beverage because he thought I was in my 20s.

If I were to shave my face, then I could see how someone might mistake me to be younger than I am, because I'm very petite.

I look like I'm fifteen when I shave. Three years younger than I really am. v_v

I have a mustache, but can't seem to grow a proper beard (ends up a patchy mess), so I shave my chin and surrounding areas and just trim the mustache when it gets too long. Doesn't seem to stop people from thinking I'm 18-20 or so.

I was in a bar the other day, and I wasn't carded. I was handed a beer, and I chugged the whole thing. For all they knew, I was underage. I was told I looked 24 wen I was 18. I sometimes get 6 years older than I am, but that's usually a combination of facial hair and being well spoken and intelligent. Now, if I shave, and act goofy, I usually get my actual age. Actually, most of the time my age is guessed accurately.

I got my friends pulled over once because the guy at the liquor saw me and thought I was underage. Embarrassing! And another time my friend and I were at the fair and we decided to take part in Lottery day and buy tickets. The dude at the counter insist on seeing my ID card and I had some very unpleasant things to say about that...especially since my friend (who was younger than me) got his lottery ticket and without even being asked for his!

I did when younger, but age and illness have fixed that problem.

I look to be about 10 years younger than I am.

I bought alcohol recently without showing my ID. But in the other shop where I wanted to buy a ticket, a shop assistant asked me, if my parents knew about it and if they allowed me to go to that concert

Many people have been shocked when I tell them I'm 59. Apparently they were convinced I was 40-odd, and that in turn shocks me.
Maybe I have preservatives instead of blood...

A lot of people on the spectrum seem to look younger than they are, it seems. Luckily, I ain't one of 'em

I seem to be taken for about 10 years younger than I am, as a general rule.

I look about 5 years older

No one ever guesses my age correctly. Probably cuz I act younger than I am...but that doesn't bother me, it never has. I've always thought to myself that it's ok if I look young, because when I'm older, I'll still look youthful! (I hope)

I'm 24 and strangers have thought I am 16. I've always looked younger than I was my whole life. My father may have had Asperger's and he looked younger than his age too. Waitresses at our favorite restraurant thought we were brother and sister!