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I think it's terrific that you now have a diagnosis and are aware enough to work on it.

Not to riff on me too long, but for many years I denied that I had epilepsy. I took meds off and on for years figuring that I was "fine" and it was too much stress or not enough sleep that caused the seizures. I finally, at 44 realized that I am NOT fine and I had better take my phenobarbital every day or I could kill myself in the car or my children or someone else who was innocently going about thier business when I seized and crashed into them. Thank God, I have always either been at home or at work and not driving when I have had the seizures.

My middle son has some of the symptoms you mention. He is socially oblivious and says whatever pops into his mind, many times very hurtful or insensative to the listener. For instance, I had colored my hair and he told me it looked "hideous." He also feels his food all the time, even though he is now 14. Is exquisitley sensative to smells and tastes and noise. What other 14 year old listens to TV with the sound practically turned off? He is a brilliant A student and very intolerant of the lesser intellect of his classmates, yet he won't push himself for fear of failing at the task he has set.

He doesn't just want to be a doctor/lawyer/Indian Chief, he wants to be the Surgeon General, Supreme Court Justice, Cochise. We are trying to get him to lower his sights and set realistic goals since he gives up when he makes a blunder, no matter how small.

I think it's terrific that you now have a diagnosis and are aware enough to work on it.

It's definitely helped! When I first came on the discovery it seemed so pointless because there's no cure, but just the self-awareness to work with it and modulate your life accordingly can make a huge difference.

In any event, it does sound as if your middle son may very well have some elements (at least related) though I'm definitely not trained to make any kind of diagnosis, to say the least. The good thing is that people can and certainly do live very successful lives with Asperger's and other mild forms of autism. The biggest impediment is of course in the realm of self-fulfillment and self-valuation and emotional well-being, but it can all be worked out. Of course, the severity and particular arrangement of characteristics make a big difference.

Most people that I've known including myself who've dealt with this and other variations of mild autism would say that it becomes much easier in adulthood; that it 'smooths itself out' you could say.