My 12 year old daughter

[green1963]

My 12 year old daughter is very intelligent and has been since she started to walk. She is taking college algebra and is preparing for high school duel college credit courses.
She has an active imagination and I am concerned about her childish behavior. She is not shy, but very antisocial.
She would rather be in her room than out with other children her own age. She plays with dolls but makes their clothes and writes about their daily activities. She films the interactions and even builds the set for the scenes.
She has journals she has been writing in since she was 5.
Should I be concerned?

[Jessica L Thomason Sassi, Ph.D., BCBA-D]

Autism is characterized by severe impairment in social interaction skills, communication skills, and/or stereotyped (ritualistic) behaviors, interests, and activities.  Asperger’s Disorder has a similar profile (restricted interests, delayed or inhibited social interaction skills), but without the developmental and language delays seen in children with a diagnosis of autism. It is hard to tell from a description whether her interest in dolls and her preference for being alone really meets the restricted interest and social skills deficit criteria for an Asperger’s diagnosis – her behavior could be well within the range of normal.  However, if you are seriously concerned, describe your concerns to your pediatrician and ask whether they think a referral to a specialist is warranted. Only a trained professional who has conducted an in-person assessment can provide an accurate diagnosis.   Best of luck to you.

[green1963]

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