Understanding

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Ask. Explicitly.

I used to genuinely believe that I was deaf, so asked people to repeat what I hadn't heard. Repeating in the same wording doesn't necessarily help me understand though.

Now I know what the problem is, with people who know me well I ask them to speak slower, or rephrase what they have said in a different way.

At work I usually repeat back what I have been told in the form of a question to clarify whether I have understood. This works quite well as it appears as though I'm just being thorough, although it's difficult to break the habit of just pretending that I understood and then messing it all up, which is what I used to do before I knew about AS. If I am being given complex instructions I ask for it in writing. My colleagues don't know about my AS but they know I am a bit absent-minded and always write lists for everything, so it seems like a reasonable request to them. Unlike many employers, they don't expect everyone to be the same and have the same strengths and weaknesses, I like working here.

I do that too. I have quite pronounced auditory processing delay and usually 'hear' what has been said after a bit of hesitation - during which time I have often asked them to repeat themselves!

That would explain why I often have to ask a person to repeat themselves. I hear a sound from them but it takes a few second delay for me to realise what they've said.

If I don't understand something I'll say so.

But I do often say "What?", even though I do understand... I'm not sure why...

GA