"Not knowing I had autism as a child and growing up knowing nothing about what I had, later learning it was a physical and mental disability, made it more difficult for me to notice or understand my physical and mental symptoms in myself and others.

Autism and 'Odd Behaviour'

Even when I encountered someone with noticeably unusual behaviour, I couldn’t quite pinpoint what made it seem odd – I just knew something felt different. At the time, I had no idea it was autism.

There was someone close to me who would often drop a book in front of me and launch into an in-depth discussion about cricket, football, or rugby, reciting facts and figures with relentless enthusiasm. He didn’t know he had autism, and I didn’t recognise it as autism either – I just found his behaviour a little odd.

Now, seeing him occasionally and knowing that I myself am autistic, it’s clear he is autistic also. Looking back, and comparing his behaviour to mine, my own quirks almost seem ordinary.

Autism Ignored

Because I was able to conform reasonably well, everything was ignored. Growing up, no one stopped to question what my issues were. Up to the age of 46 and with a cerebral palsy diagnosis finally, I still was not aware I had autism. It would take another 10-years to get a diagnosis.

But autism is different for each of us. Having autism confirmed at 56 and being 108 on the Autism scale and spectrum, this guy would probably be scaled at between 200 out of 240. He struggles much more than me."