Greetings Earthlings! 🙂

Leading on from my previous post You don’t look autistic?, it seems that I might need to eat my words that no one looks autistic. Research in recent years indicates that autism may in fact have some physical attributes- in other words, there is actually an autistic look 🤯

Yep, I had to be peeled off the floor when I heard that- so many autists making jokes about not looking autistic and here we have science telling us that we do! 😂

So what does the research say?

Whilst there isn’t a specific definitive autistic look as with other genetic conditions like Down’s Syndrome, studies have identified the following facial features in autistic children:

• Eyes are wider and spaced further apart
• Broader upper face
• Shorter middle face
• Larger mouth and philtrum (i.e., the groove between your nose and mouth)
• Others may also have a flattened nasal bridge, a longer philtrum, and a less pronounced chin

Similarly, studies suggest that 10-35% of autists have a larger head size than their neurotypical peers. The circumference of the head, particularly in males with autism, is much larger than average- a condition known as macrocephaly. This size difference is often linked to larger brain volume in childhood, thought to be caused by early brain overgrowth. Head size usually balances out in adulthood, but it may persist for some autists.

As with all autistic traits, not all autists may have these facial features (my mouth is so small my wisdom teeth had no room to grow), and the differences are so subtle it’s doubtful that the untrained eye will notice. The research is very limited, so these facial features may not even indicate an autism diagnosis, but still it’s a very interesting concept. Perhaps one day facial analysis may help speed up the autism diagnostic process.

Hope you enjoyed this post dear Earthlings!

Have a lovely weekend!

Aoife