The way the human mind works is still unfathomable, even by the most eminent neurophysicians. For that reason, there are many adults walking around today who, although displaying typical symptoms of being on the autism-spectrum, have never been diagnosed. The spectrum is wide, ranging from mild Asperger's to full-blown autism.
Asperger's is a state of mind that typically affects the male ‘systems' part of the brain, rather than the female ‘emotional' areas. Amazingly, it was not even commonly recognised as a disorder at all until 1990. So, when a male child asks a question such as ‘how do the traffic lights know the cars have stopped?', warning bells should ring in parents' minds. It is a typical ‘aspie' query, based as it is on a slightly skewed sense of the world.
There is still general ignorance about the disorder, the average parent typically laughing at their child's odd question. Their son could not possibly have anything wrong with him because he is so quick with maths and computing, often displaying a manic sense of humour. One father was discussing society's increasing problem with his wife: ‘If there were 100 people in a room, one of them would have Asperger's'. Their ‘aspie' son, overhearing this, quickly retorted ‘You'd never get the aspie in the room!'
