Looking Younger Than You Are

Post Reply New Topic

One of the traits/symptoms I've seen listed of ASD is looking young, or younger than you are. I'm not complaining, I hope I stay this way forever lol . Quite a few people have assumed that my brother and I are twins, which makes me 4 years younger than I really am. Today my manager referred to me as a teenager; colleagues, tutors, neighbours and acquaintances make the same judgement. I recently found out I share a birthdate with a colleague, and he was very taken aback that we're the same age. My own mother calls me a teenager (if not a child) sometimes too lol, but I think that's down to my adorable behaviour .

I very much doubt I'm the only one, since it's an AS thing. My question is: why? Do you think it's a subtle behavioural thing, a look of child-like wonder ( ), the way you dress, your weight (some AS people are skinny due to restrictive eating) or some strange biological symptom? I like it, whatever it is .

I know lots of people that look younger than they are that don't have ASD. Some people just look younger than they are, there are no physical symptoms of ASD.

I get mistaken for twins with my 17 year old little sister all the time. Most people think I'm in my late teens, and a few years ago it was mid-teens. I guess it's good for me, I'm pretty immature for my age and look how old I feel inside.

I know mine is a combination of a soft face, especially apparent when I'm passing for male where it gives me a "bishonen" look (it's more normal for a female), which has a lot to do with being intersex but nothing as far as I know to do with autism. And wide "innocent"-looking eyes (if only they knew... ), which is that look of "wonder" and might have some relationship to autism. I also take after my mother and mom's mom in looks, and grandma wrinkled very little.

I look 15 to 20 years younger than I am. Which is nice as I am in my 50s. I think this is related to AS as I have always kept regular hours, got to bed early, avoided alcohol, took the recommended amount of exercise, ate the recommended healthy foods, avoided getting sunburn, never smoked etc. This has all added up to a well-preserved face and body.

I look much younger than I am. I sometimes get IDd by ticket masters when I buy a Scratch n Win in a part of town or another town/city where the person doesn't know me.

When I wear my glasses, I get mistaken for being 5 - 10 years younger than I am. I think a lot of it definitely has to do with the way I dress (dark, quirky, long skirts) and also I have been blessed with really good skin. I also think the description of having a "child-like wonder" look about ASD people might have something to do with it.

I think I always tend to look about 4 years younger than I really am. For example, I looked about 12 at 16, and now, at 22, I think I look about 18. As a little kid, I think I looked my age until I was abut 11 or 12, probably. I'm getting to the point where I like looking younger.

hi, I'm new on here, so please forgive the jump in,

thing is this particular issue has always annoyed the hell out of me. I'm 36, and when I was 6 months pregnant with my son three years ago I was IDed at the checkout for an 18 cert DvD. I didn't have my normal bag on me so I couldn't prove I was 33, and the cashier (who I'd like to add was prob a good ten years younger than me) refused to sell me the Item because 'You look 17 no way your 34' I was utterly humiliated. I wouldn't have minded as much but when I finally got a copy of the film it was so not worth the embarrassment! I don't think I dress 'young' and I avoid makeup, but these incidents add to the sort of over all 'aww look at the dizzy little girl trying to be a grown up' attitude I encounter all the time. sorry for the sight rant, but its comforting to read others have experienced this also.

I've had a healthy beard since I was 18, people used to sell me alcohol at that age. So this doesn't apply to me at all.

...I'm heavy , and have long had a major beard ~ But when I was young , and the beard was not so , I too , as I put it , had sort of a Dick Clark/Cliff Richard " looking young " vibe going - I remember back on my 26th birthday , at a rock club , CBGBs' in nYC , having to show an ID at the bar in order to get a drink ! (Now I'm old - and disappointed , and with little .) (It was a " Hardcore Matinee " and as-young-as 16s were allowed in at the show .)

_________________
Renal kidney failure, congestive heart failure, COPD. Can't really get up from a floor position unhelped anymore:-(.
One of the walking wounded ~ SMASHED DOWN by life and age, now prevented from even expressing myself! SOB.
" Oh, no! First you have to PROVE you deserve to go away to college! " ~ My mother, 1978 (the heyday of Andy Gibb and Player). I would still like to go.
My life destroyed by Thorazine and Mellaril - and rape - and the Psychiatric/Industrial Complex. SOB:-(! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !!

I'm 38 and still get mistaken for a college student and people don't believe me when I tell them my age.

One reason is because I've never spent a lot of time out in the sun - I'm pale and I sunburn easily, and sunlight gives me headaches. Another reason, probably like most others here, is I tend to have neutral or very subtle facial expressions...I have some eye wrinkles but no deep creases in my face.

Other than that, I guess there is something a little babyish about my face...and yeah people used to tell me I look innocent. People used to apologize to me if they said a swear word in front of me. lol

I have been assumed to be younger than my brother who's 6 years younger than me. I figured it had more to do with him typically b̶e̶i̶n̶g̶ acting more mature in general though.

I've been told I look younger than I am. But my mother and grandmother both aged well and I don't drink or smoke cigarettes. Apparently people don't think my mom is old enough to have a 31 year old son.