Are there real physical differences with Aspergers?

Post Reply New Topic

"Asymmetry of the eyes"

Wow, I've always thought that about my eyes.

I was mainly wondering about the lack of tonsils, increased bone strength, and the extra wide sternum.

i have none of the OP's traits and none of the traits in the study.

I don't have any of those traits listed. I had tonsils, but mine were faulty I guess. I had mine out when I was about 5 and as soon as they took them out, I developed every food allergy known to man. I didn't swell, but everything caused such excessive mucos that not only could I not breath through my nose, but it would get into my lungs and I would develop pneumonia. Needless to say I had a very limited diet. I was also in the hospital several times a year for a week or so at a time due to respiratory problems. They drew so much blood and I had so many IV's over and over until I was about 12 and suddenly outgrew the allergies, that my veins are still sclerosed, like a junkie's. To this day they can only draw blood or start an IV in my hand, because the hand is not the best place to stick a kid because of that extra layer of baby fat.

I've also got a very high metabolism. No matter what I eat, I'm thin. Between about 13 and 18 I did everything I could to gain weight. I drank protein powder, stuffed the food in, everything. My endocrine system was fine, of course it was checked. There was nothing I could do about it. I wore a size 0 for years and I would get so mad when my girlfriends who had problems staying in a 7 or 9 would tell me how jealous they were. I would have killed to have some meat on my bones and curves. I'm still thin. At 47 I'm 5-8 and weigh 122. I don't diet, I don't watch what I eat. Never have. It's just a wierd super metabolism I suppose.

I have a rapid heart rate, always. My baseline is about 110 resting. It always has been, and yes, I've seen a cardiologist in the past. It's normal for me. Every time I go to a new Dr, they want an EKG. Fine, do your EKG. It's normal. I also have a very low blood pressure. 90/60 is my baseline. It's pretty fun to watch their eyes get big when I go to the ER with something and they take my vitals. High heart rate and low blood pressure indicate internal bleeding. Which I do not have. Sometimes I tell them beforehand what I usually run, other times I just enjoy their reaction. It really depends on the nurse's attitude. One thing about those readings is that if I don't tell her it's normal, she hurries the Doctor right in to see me after about ten minutes and I don't have to wait long. I inform him/her what my normal vitals are. Then we talk about what brought me there today.

My appendix was in the wrong place. It was too high.

I'm very flexible. At 47 I can still do the splits (both ways) and straighten my leg out fully over my head with no pain or strain, after doing two or three minutes of warm up stretching. However, I have no balance at all. None. Forget it. I'll trip and fall walking across a flat surface completely sober in a brightly lit room with no obstacles. I'll walk right into a door frame or wall that I'm looking right at while I'm walking. I've broken every toe on my foot at least twice. When we lived in a two story house, I fell down the carpeted stairs at least four times a year. I don't seem to get hurt very easily either, even with all that falling. Bruises, yeah. Soreness, yeah. Abrasions, yeah. I've had one broken bone in my life, in first grade. Other than the toes. I've hit my head HARD many, many times, and lost a lot of blood that way because scalp wounds bleed a lot, but never lost consciousness.

So, other than those, I'm normal. But then, everybody, Aspie, Autie or NT has their own physical quirks.

Frances

Interesting thread....I too haven't lost consciousness despite very serious head injury, including hitting a roll bar doing a high speed crash and a curb during a biking accident. Also don't bruise and cuts heal fairly quickly. My eyes and my mouth lack symmetry to a significant degree if examined closely. I use to be fairly flexible, but have other conditions effecting that. My head is proportionally larger than most as at 5'10" I usually have to go to the largest or 2nd largest commonly manufactured hat size. Again, interesting thoughts.

Very interesting to see what others are saying about never having lost consciousness before - add me to the club, and I've been in situations where the number of drugs/alcohol I consumed would almost definitely knock anyone else out.

Here are a few visuals- I have the sandal gap toes. I call them my prehensile toes. They can be very useful. Seems I have the earlobe crease too. I don't know if I have an occipital bun or not but I do have the 2D4D finger ratio thing.


high arched palate

earlobe crease

sandal gap toes

occipital bun

Im double jointed and have parcial hypermobility.
my finger nails grow a lot faster than normal peoples, and theyre a lot stronger than normal peoples. and I dont drink Milk.
I have a double ankle on both feet.

I was born with a cleft pallet of the hard and soft, I am hyper mobile (and have been used to demonstrate the characteristic at several physical therapy offices I've been to), I have never broken a bone, I have taken a significant hit to the head recently and suffered only mild confusion, I don't scar easily and my scars usually heal up after awhile, I have thoracic outlet syndrome which affects my nerves, I don't know if I fit the "sandal gap" toe thing but I can place my index finger between my big toe and the others, I have very long fingers and toes (and I can write with my toes - embarrassing story)... I think that about sums up the physical characteristics... Oh, I used to have a very high metabolism (I could eat any and everything) and was thin - weighed 113 until my second year of college at 5' 6".

I get muscle spasms that feel like heart attacks due to stress and muscle tightness (a bit of chicken and egg as to which comes first).