AS/HFA and verbal processing delay

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I read this article a few months (maybe even a year) ago and I thought I'd ask about it on here.

Someone did a study where they checked the verbal processing speed of bunch of people with AS (maybe HFA as well, I don't remember) and either all of them or an overwhelming majority of them had a delay of about 1/50th of a second more than the control NTs.

When I first heard that I was like, "what? That's ridiculous - my hearing is fine."
But then I thought about it - I do need a second to think before I can respond to someone talking to me.
I showed it to my mom and she nodded and said that since I was very young, I've taken just a split second longer to respond to things than most people. It wasn't a significantly long time longer - I always just waited a beat before responding. She didn't think too much of it at the time because it never encumbered me in any way, so it wasn't really an issue of importance.
She said it used to confuse her when I would respond to a straight forward question with a knee-jerk, "Huh?" or "What?" as if I hadn't heard her and then, a split-second later, answered the question normally. She said that I still did it all the time but now she just know to wait before repeating the question and then I will answer normally.

I had never heard of such a thing, but then I realized that it does take me a second to realize what people are saying. I talked to my friends and siblings and they said that they noticed it too - they also mentioned me saying "What?," "Hm?" or just an awkward, split second pause before I responded to them.
My more recent friends (the ones who didn't know me when I was a child) said they'd heard me say, "What?" (followed by a normal response) before but that they hadn't really thought about it being strange until I mentioned it just then. They started pointing it out to me when I did it, and I realized that I do it at least 10/15 times a day depending on how much I talk.

Now I'm pretty aware of it, and I think there was something to that article, crazy as it sounded to me. I think that I definitely have a verbal processing delay and the article had collected data that showed some very large percentage of AS kids had tested for a a similar delay.

I wish I could find this article again!
I bet that delay might have something to do with the "natural" blank AS stare that all of us have a tendency towards when relaxing. Maybe also with our social awkwardness - can't exactly be quick on your 'feet' verbally/socially if you don't comprehend what you are hearing as fast as the other person.

Anyway,
Has anyone else heard of this/read that article? I'd love a link if you have one. (:
Do you think this is speculative garbage, or does this apparent delay apply to you as well?

I think there was a thread about this (sorta) before.. I remember mentioning how a lot of times when I'm asked a question I'll ask "What?" and then right after that, realize that I did hear what the person said-- I think that's what you mean? That delay in realizing that you heard something?

When I was in pre-school, they thought I had a hearing problem 'cause I didn't always respond.. When they tested my hearing, they decided that it was a listening problem, not a hearing problem. I guess they were wrong; it wasn't a listening problem, it was a processing problem.

I think this happens to me at least sometimes. If someones speaks quickly it takes me quite a bit longer to process.

I think so, but "verbal processing delay" can mean a lot of things. When I was young a common thing to say to a child who was slow to answer was "What's the matter -cat got your tongue?" You can imagine how that improved things - now there were two enigmatic statements to process. But taking the question on the most basic level, that is, for some reason, it just takes longer to make sense of sentences heard, I still think it's true, and it still causes problems. As a result I've developed a compensating mechanism of trying to anticipate a whole conversation before I start it so I'll be ready - when I tried to explain that to a psychologist I was seeing for social phobia, he said "You don't have to do that", but the verbal processing delay, imo, had made it desirable at least.

I have this problem. My response time is slow.

I get this sometimes but its mainly when I'm engrossed in something and someone starts yammering out of the blue, I go "What?" then it processes whoah, I heard it after all!

But if I'm expecting conversation and listening, I think the delay is also between my brain and my response speech. Then, it's like I'll be thinking the words but nothing comes out, or comes out so delayed that the other person has started talking again, and I'm interrupting them before I even can stop. It's like a speech<-->thought delay both ways.

I have trouble processing speech sometimes, too.

This makes absolute sense. It makes me wonder if some Saturday Night Live writers are Aspies and therefore lived it because I once saw a sketch on it (many years ago, I have it on SNL's DVD collection). In this sketch, Mike Myers is with two friends. They keep saying witty things back and forth at high speed. He thinks of witty things to say too, but always a beat too late so that the other two look at him funny as his witty comment falls flat just because the conversation has moved on by the time he says it. So he invents a time machine that goes back in time only 2 minutes. That way, he always says the right thing at the right time because he has an extra two minutes to process. Maybe somebody wrote the sketch experienced it because of AS.

i used to answer "what?" to pretty much everything then i would understand a moment later. good to see it was not just me. i think i still do it sometimes but i try to say "pardon?" instead:D

interesting stuff!

Hmm, never thought of that. I use what or huh a lot and then answer. My son does sometimes, but more just silence and then an answer.

I definitely have some kind of verbal processing delay, but it seems to go away when I'm angry...

I put "Not that I know of." due to the lack of a "No." option.
Seriously, I think that most people have a verbal processing delay, because I can say something with flawless pronunciation, grammar, etc. and they have to stop and think about it. Maybe I just talk too fast for most people.

Now, I do have a delayed second pass. This means that, at a short delay, I re-evaluate what someone said in case of any errors on their part. This occurs about 2 seconds later, giving me enough time to say "What?".

This is a very common neurological condition, many ASDians have this. It is a serious long ranging problem especially for very young children who are trying to learn and have not yet learned coping strategies like saying "HUH" before they go on to answer a question. Just think about it, before a person has had enough time to process one sentence spoken, the speaker is often on to the 3rd or 4th sentence. No wonder some people have so many problems with verbal processing. A speech therapist with a good working knowledge of Central Auditory Processing Disorder could test your respose times, if you are interested in finding out more.

The same can apply to the processing of visual information as well any sensory input. If you are worried about it and would like to try to do something about it, for the aditory stuff I wold recommend Samona's sound therapy. This worked very well with my children.

Also there is actually a drug many children with ASD and other neuroligical anomalies have used to help remedy this. It was actually first brought out to help people that had problems sensing when they needed to urinate. I don't think it was ever very good for it's intended purposes but many found that their visual and auditory processing times dramatically improved while using the drug. The trade name of the drug is Bethanacole. Look it and it's use in Autistic children up on the net. Of course the use of sound therapy and this drug is not within the knowledge of most mainstream medical professionals, who by and large will not have it that anything that comes under the heading of ASD can in any way be treated or remedied.

I have this problem.

I have it too. And I think it's why I become so silent in a crowd. When people are not talking to me, asking me questions or my opinion on something, I just am not quick enough to make up some kind of contribution to the conversation that is on. I am much better one on one, and excellent at writing.

I have this problem sometimes too, especially if I do not know the person I am talking to and can not read them. But it's never hurt my conversational skills with people because it's not that noticeable anymore.