The apple seldom falls all that far from the tree. Many of us old folk were diagnosed, be it self-diagnosed or officially, in the wake of one of the younger generation being diagnosed. If you are on the spectrum, the odds are that one or both of your parents also have traits. If so, your mom doesn't see you as different from them (because you aren't), and is also fighting facing the truth about her and/or your dad.
I thought my best friend's daughter was the cutest, smartest, funniest youngster on the planet (still do), and it didn't occur to me that anything was actually "wrong" with her until she was diagnosed HFA. She is now in her early 20's and still following my and her mother's developmental footsteps almost exactly.
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If it don't come easy . . . .
. . . .hack it until it works right
Aspie score: 142/200 NT score: 64/200
AQ Score: 42
BAP: 109 aloof, 94 rigid and 85 pragmatic