Similarities And Differences On A Teenager With Autism

My son Tommy has autism. He's a teenager. I've noticed that he's different from a lot of other kids his age, but there are also plenty of similarities as well.

1. All teenagers have a smell about them. Whether it's BO or too much cologne, some sort of scent is usually wafting from their bodies.


2. I don't have to worry about my son sneaking out at night. He's really big on rules. If I told him to be in by 10, he'll be back by 10.


3. His moods are all over the place like a typical teen. One minute he'll be smiling. The next he's all:

4. He won't risk smoking. Or getting drunk. He cannot believe anyone would do these things. "Don't they know their lungs will turn black? Why would anyone want to get drunk and stupid?" He's just as appalled over people doing drugs.


5. He spends hours on video games like many teenagers. When he emerges from his room, we sometimes start clapping. "You exist!" I'll sometimes shout.

6. He might not be driving when he's 16. He tends to panic and shut down when he gets overwhelmed so he might need more time to cope with these feelings before he gets behind the wheel.


7. I'm not sure when he'll have a girlfriend. He still struggles with understanding different emotions. He misses social cues. If a girl that liked him was sarcastic, he wouldn't get it. I have faith that there is a girl out there for him though.


8. He's not interested in sports. He never has been. He tried track in fifth grade and wasn't a fan. He's not exactly coordinated. He tries hard, but playing catch with him is tricky as he can't really catch the ball or throw it. He'll try to be polite if Tom or another man in the family offers, but you can tell he's not really enjoying himself. Football has always bored him. "This looks dumb," he once told me when he saw a game on TV.


9. He probably won't be going to any school dances. There's one coming up and I asked if he wanted to go. He was like this:

10. He doesn't walk around with earbuds in his ears all the time. He cannot stand things in his ears and he doesn't care to listen to music at all hours of the day.


11. He eats like most teenagers. He never seems to be full. I once watched as he ate a footlong sub from Subway in five minutes. And he was still hungry. However, his diet isn't like a lot of teenagers: he doesn't like soda. It's too "spicy" for him. He doesn't like chewy candy. He freaks if you put cheese on his burger. He'd live on rolls if I allowed it.


12. He hates wearing shorts. He's noticed that a lot of boys his age wear shorts--even if it's freezing. He doesn't comprehend this. If it's below 72 degrees he must be in a long-sleeved shirt. If it's above 72 degrees, he'll wear a short-sleeve shirt and sometimes I can get him in shorts, but he's not a fan. He also hates wearing flip flops. Even if we're going to the pool, he prefers to be in socks and shoes. When we go to the beach I can get him in flip flops but only because he can't stand the sand stuck in the socks.



Honestly, I'm happy he might not ever be like the "typical" teenager. He is who he is.

He's Tommy.