Asperger's Syndrome is Scandinavian

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I think Asperger's Syndrome originated in Scandinavia.

I've never met a Scandinavian (Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Icelandic, Greenlandic, Finnish) person who isn't socially awkward.

Both my parents have Scandinavian roots (my dad's descendants came from Denmark and my mother's descendants came from Sweden).

The Scandinavian tribes in history as they banded together to invade much of Europe left a big legacy. They settled in Britain, Germany, on the borders of Russia. The places they didn't conquer, their people still interbred somewhat with those populations.

That's why I'd argue not all Aspies have blue eyes. Therefore proving all Aspies is Scandinavian would be difficult. But then for example in Germany the Danish tribe of Scandinavians interbred with people with brown eyes so the eye colours became more mixed.

that's an interesting theory but what about the people with asperger's who have absolutely no scandinavian ancestors?

It's possible there could be more than one Asperger's. The Scandinavian one and maybe other ones that are somewhat different. But I don't know really, just a wild guess. It's just something I observed really.

That would explain why I felt at home in Scandinavia.

But maybe the NT's from Scandinavia are not travelling to the place you life? Or you pull AS people easier toward you than NT people?

and that is why I felt so comfortable (and they with me) in Minnesota!

but seriously, Ashkenazi Jews have a large proportion of Asperger's Syndrome as well.


Merle

Forgive me if this sounds ignorant but is there a high percentage of blue eyes in people with AS?

Not all Scandinavians (or descendants thereof) have blue eyes, either.

Really, I think it's just cultural differences, not everyone there is autistic. I had a case manager who, because his wife is Norwegian, assumed that some of the things I do that are part of being autistic for me, were cultural instead (such as being uncomfortable around some of what I consider pretty extreme displays of emotion (even positive emotions), and other personality traits). But actually my mother doesn't share those traits with me, she's in fact the exact opposite in some ways, and she's the one whose family's mostly from Scandinavia. People there aren't all autistic, but there are some (definitely not all) aspects of the cultures there that look out of place where I live in America.

well, then. I am the only one in my family with AS and the only one with green eyes. ( mom had blue, brother had blue and dad had brown.) Mine are peridot (split pea) green and don't go 'hazel' even in darker lighting.

Dark blue, almost grey, eyes here

EDIT: Should mention I'm German/English/Irish decent.

Last edited by Glencannon on 15 Feb 2008, 10:45 am, edited 1 time in total.

Mine are blue, which is why I wondered and asked the question. I had just never heard that before.

As a Norwegian... I've met a lot of Scandinavians who aren't socially awkward.

That's a huge generalization, IMO.

And here I am, thinking it was Japanese...

The stereotypical Norseman is a stereotypical Aspie. That's not saying anything scientific or accurate, just a remark. My husband and I are both part Scandinavian (I'm perhaps half-Norwegian) and believe that the autism on his family comes from his Danish-Norwegian grandmother. I got my father's hazel eyes while my son got his great-grandma's piercing blue eyes.

As a reference to the "awkward Norwegian" stereotype, Sweet Land, is a movie that features a Norwegian-American farmer who orders a bride. A lot of viewers from the region agreed that he was very accurate. It was a very sweet movie.

I do have to think that there is definitely more than one asperger's, regardless of culture/population. I find that AS encompases waaaaaaay to wide of a range of symptoms. While many people share the same symptoms, others do not. Some people are very severe, others can almost appear normal.

This is where I've had trouble with NT's saying "Oh you are fine. You don't have AS. I have a friend who's son has AS and he screams and has fits and you don't and never did that." And so on. It's weird to think that we both have AS but can be so very different in our outbursts and symptoms. It's not to say that neither of us have it but we sure seem to have a different kind of AS from one another.

*shrug*

I think that a lot more research needs to be done and maybe some sub classifications of AS that better describe what kind of type of AS you are.

Again, this is a huge generalization. I've lived here all my life and have just a few times met someone who could "qualify" as an aspie. Of course, Norwegians (not sure about Swedes and Danes) are "colder" than other people, but to say that the stereotypical "Norseman" is the same as the stereotypical Aspie is... wrong. It's a cliché.

Some research has been done on this, there was a post a few days ago with a video showing the different types. I'll see if i can find the link.

Edit: http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt20341.html