Motor skills

I have a doctor, whom I originally got into contact with because of my OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder). My doctor has recently suggested that I maybe have Asperger. I hadn't heard of this syndrome before, but have read a lot of info sites, so now I'm pretty well informed on AS.

My question is if all AS patients have trouble with their motor skills, and walk in a strange way. Because as a kid I played some icehockey and soccer for a few years. I recently contacted the coach to ask about my skills in understanding the teamplay etc, and he said he didn't remember between me and my teammates' abilities in teamwork, understanding the game etc.

Is it possible that an AS person has normal understanding of games like that, or is my doctor going for the wrong syndrome?

If its bothering you that much, get a second opinion. If this is a MEDICAL doctor thats diagnosing Aspergers, talk to a psychologist. Aspergers isnt something doctors are readily trained to recognize.

It's not an ordinary doctor, it's a psychiatrist (I have both a psychiatrist and a psychologist). Both of them say AS is possible, and I'm getting evaluated sometime soon. I'm just anxious to know more about it.

Asperger's is something of a "grab bag". There's a long list of traits, but you don't have to have them all to qualify.

I'm quite coordinated, and always have been (at least in most things). Obviously I was a bit off-balance that summer in my teens where I grew 5", but that's just to be expected. Games weren't very confusing, they're simple: the rules are pretty clear. I had trouble understanding the concept of offsides in soccer and fouls in basketball (not that I was good at either sport), but that's about it.

My main difficulty with sports in general is anything that requires me to do something different with one hand (or foot) than I'm doing with the other. I was a very skilled oarsman in college rowing, but could not suck more at basketball if I were paralyzed from the eyeballs down.

But I can build or repair things with my hands with very good dexterity. On the other hand, I do have a tendency to move strangely on occassion, mainly when I'm feeling relaxed and therefore not drawn up to my full height and walking with measured stride. Nothing that I or anyone else seems to be able to put their finger on what's "different", but it does seem to make it harder for people to notice me moving (because it's not something their brain is used to interpreting). Thus I seem to have the uncanny tendency to "appear" nearby and startle people. As a result, I try to make some kind of noise as I approach people from behind so as to not surprise them.

(People that make a noise with every footfall when they walk really annoy me, though. I don't like making unnecessary noise.)

Um excuse me!!!!!!!!

Im not a bad driver thankyou very much. Infact I know that im a much better driver than many other people.

I think that Aspergers makes us safer drivers, because at least from my experience we seem to hate going even just 1k over the speed limit and we always care more about other drivers than ourself when we are driving. We never intentially run over animals and we always like to do certain things perfectly every single time, eg Parallel Parks, 3 point turns.

We are not bad drivers

Are you being serious, Harley?

I am the Guest. I just registered.

I suspect Harley has accidentally replied to the wrong thread.

Anyway, thanks for the replies.

Spektyr wrote:Asperger's is something of a "grab bag". There's a long list of traits, but you don't have to have them all to qualify.

Ah. Then it feels more likely that I have the syndrome. Because I've read about AS, and some symptoms fit in on me, while others don't.

I'm quite coordinated, and always have been (at least in most things). Obviously I was a bit off-balance that summer in my teens where I grew 5", but that's just to be expected. Games weren't very confusing, they're simple: the rules are pretty clear. I had trouble understanding the concept of offsides in soccer and fouls in basketball (not that I was good at either sport), but that's about it.

My main difficulty with sports in general is anything that requires me to do something different with one hand (or foot) than I'm doing with the other. I was a very skilled oarsman in college rowing, but could not suck more at basketball if I were paralyzed from the eyeballs down.

I sort of feel the same, heh. While I was quite quick at learning to skate fast (which doesn't require a lot of motor skills, merely that you move your legs fast as hell), I never learned how to dribble the puck, or shoot very well.

But I can build or repair things with my hands with very good dexterity. On the other hand, I do have a tendency to move strangely on occassion, mainly when I'm feeling relaxed and therefore not drawn up to my full height and walking with measured stride. Nothing that I or anyone else seems to be able to put their finger on what's "different", but it does seem to make it harder for people to notice me moving (because it's not something their brain is used to interpreting). Thus I seem to have the uncanny tendency to "appear" nearby and startle people. As a result, I try to make some kind of noise as I approach people from behind so as to not surprise them.

(People that make a noise with every footfall when they walk really annoy me, though. I don't like making unnecessary noise.)

Hehe, that "appearing", and startling people is something I've done too, despite my length (I am quite tall). I'm not sure it's because I have some Aspergian walk though.

Really looking forward to that evaluation, to get done with it.




EDIT: I have another question. Are Aspies often "odd" in their early years? Is it common that something is detected early, or do some AS kids appear entirely normal at first?

The reason I'm wondering is because my parents say I was just a normal kid, with mates and so. I learned to speak quickly, and pronounced words very well, but they don't recall that I ever acted like a "small professor", using complex words or so. My heavy social trouble started around the age of 10. Is this normal among Aspies, or does this imply that I suffer from something else, like perhaps some social phobia?

Yeah, I use my height as a disarming technique when people get scared/mad that I appeared suddenly and startled them. "How could you possible not notice me coming? I'm six-foot-four!" Sometimes it helps to make a joke to make people more comfortable.

Asperger's is much more easily diagnosed when a person is young. By the time someone's in their 20's they've usually learned to adapt well enough to evade easy diagnosis (or else their autistic spectrum disorder is severe enough they're often diagnosed as autistic.) That being said there are cases where it seems to appear rather abruptly after an apparently normal development. This ties into the current thinking that it has both a genetic and an environmental component. (That meaning that genetics plays a role, but there may also be some kind of environmental "trigger" that causes Asperger's to manifest. Some people point at vaccines, metal poisoning, or other potential culprits.)

Spektyr wrote:Yeah, I use my height as a disarming technique when people get scared/mad that I appeared suddenly and startled them. "How could you possible not notice me coming? I'm six-foot-four!" Sometimes it helps to make a joke to make people more comfortable.

Hehe, sounds really funny. I've often scared girls in my class, by "appearing" on them. It's kinda funny now that I look back, though I was embarassed back then.

Asperger's is much more easily diagnosed when a person is young. By the time someone's in their 20's they've usually learned to adapt well enough to evade easy diagnosis (or else their autistic spectrum disorder is severe enough they're often diagnosed as autistic.) That being said there are cases where it seems to appear rather abruptly after an apparently normal development. This ties into the current thinking that it has both a genetic and an environmental component. (That meaning that genetics plays a role, but there may also be some kind of environmental "trigger" that causes Asperger's to manifest. Some people point at vaccines, metal poisoning, or other potential culprits.)

Hmm.. maybe that's my AS (if I do have AS). Or maybe my parents couldn't see my peculiarities (maybe they weren't easily detectable).

I really shouldn't think that I have AS until I've been diagnosed, but it feels like I'm on to something. Would be nice to get an explanation to all my troubles.

I don't walk differently or have a noticeable problem with sports. I'm not great at them, but not bad, either. I do have a little dyspraxia--clumsiness, spill things, less than average dexterity for fine movements. I used to get very frustrated with it, almost feeling like things were attacking me and irritating me on purpose! Like in stubbing my toe, I knew I did it too often for it to be normal and I felt like the furniture was stubbing my toe, or the keys wouldn't go into the keyhole on purpose. Silly, but that's how it felt. When I found out I was Aspergers I was so relieved and now I just move more slowly and carefully and accept it.

I always inadvertantly sneak up on people. I'm very quiet (don't like loud people or things) and I move very quietly.