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All their peculiarities remain constant (and they have logical explanations for them when asked). Nobody has developed new or different problems over a short course of time.
If they do something especially wierd, its usually just because they got bored, stressed, or were having a private internal joke. This may be the case with the throat clearing or hair cutting; either way he should be able to explain if this is why. Its usually best to ask right when they do it if something is wrong or why they just did that (otherwise they may not realize they were doing it at all).
Example 1 - John, who watches TV sitting crosslegged, habitually rocks and rubs his knees. When I met John in 1985, he did not do this. Gradually he started doing it more and more often, until it became the "norm" whenever he's watching TV. Now an established habit (and pretty much an unconscious one), if you mention while out having lunch that he does it, he denies it. But if you catch him doing it and point it out, he will laugh and realize he does it, ponder why, and tell you it has a calming soothing effect on him. John may make jokes about doing it but seems unable to stop. Occasionally if a visitor tells him to hold still, he will realize with a guilty start he's been doing it again and hold off for maybe 5 minutes, then he will start back up again without even noticing. John also sometimes laughs loudly at nothing or starts talking to himself in half sentences, because his internal life sometimes breaks through to his external life. If asked at the moment he does it, he will say he thought of something funny or was thinking really hard. If you ask him a couple hours later, he'd deny it happened.
Example 2 - Tim, who is easily upset and stressed when his routine is interrupted. He will pace the floor, rearrange the furniture, possibly cut his hair, maybe shout to release his anxiety, maybe retreat to bed in tears. Tomorrow, if the routine goes as usual, he'll be fine.
Example 3 - Paula has issues with fluorescent lighting buzzing. She goes to an unfamiliar grocery store, halfway through her shopping she starts to stress out from the buzzing. If her wait in line takes too long, she will likely flee the store and leave her groceries behind. When she is calmer she will go to a more familiar store and complete her shopping.
Does any of that sound familiar? From the sounds of what you posted, I think there's got to be a different issue going on with him. |
Asperger's doesn't suddenly get worse - several family members have it
