SallyAspie Report post Posted June 7, 2007 I have Aspergers and am slow to register faces. For example, I won't recognise a stranger who served me in a shop a few minutes previously when (apparently) most people would. Does anyone else have the same problem? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mumble Report post Posted June 7, 2007 Hi, Yes, it's called face blindness or Prosopagnosia (although these terms are sometimes used interchangeably with the inability be read faces, i.e. emotional states, rather than recognise faces). I have quite severe problems with this as I don't recognise my lecturers in college or other students, and going to conferences etc. where I see people a few times a year can be awful and very embarassing. I can't even pick my sister out of a crowd. I have to go out now, but do a search on this forum and the internet for these terms and see what you come up with - I'm sure others can help too, and if I have any insightful thoughts during the day I'll post again this evening. Mumble Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted June 7, 2007 (edited) I have similar problems...I can't 'hold' the image of someone's face in my mind, I can only 'see' bits of their face, like how their eyebrows grow, or little creases, etc. I can 'hold' the photo of someone a little bit better, so that's what I tend to think of if I want to remember what my children look like, etc. I always have a sort of 'double-take' when I see people...'So that's what they look like!!' I also have problems with my own face. I end up poring over photos of me, to see what I actually look like...I have been accused of being vain, but it's not that at all, it's again, 'So that's what I look like!!' Does anyone else find it quite 'scary' to see their reflections or a photo of themselves?? For me I find it quite disconcerting, trying to relate what I see to the inside of my head!! I really don't like my face, because it doesn't seem to match up with what's inside, IYSWIM!! Often, to me, it looks like a mask, and I seem to be looking out of it. Actually, this has made me feel pretty because it's something that upsets me a lot, and has done all my life. Bid Edited June 7, 2007 by bid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jb1964 Report post Posted June 7, 2007 I have Aspergers and am slow to register faces. For example, I won't recognise a stranger who served me in a shop a few minutes previously when (apparently) most people would. Does anyone else have the same problem? I think it's extremely common with ASD. My daughter (13) has the same problem with both faces and names - she still doesn't know peoples names in her class that she's been with for 3 or 4 years and she will walk past people that she has known for years and years and not recognise their faces. She very often appears rude or ignorant when people say hello or wave as she totally either doesn't even see that they are waving/speaking to her and even if she did wouldn't know who they were anyway......... Take care, Jb Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted June 7, 2007 Yes, it is very common... the 'bits' most people tend to use to identify people are often not incorporated into the autistic persons image of them, which may be based more on peripheral things like the context in which they usually see them or the way their hair looks or their smile, or voice. Change the peripherals, and the identity disappears too. Ben has a very distinctive looking teacher at his school; very small, thin guy with long black hair and a bald crown, (nice bloke, BTW if anyone recognises that description!) One day we saw him at a supermarket filling station - I went in to pay and he was just coming out. When he saw Ben was with me he said, 'i'll go and have a chat with him', and looked a little bit stunned when i warned him that Ben might not recognise him; 'but he sees me every day at school'... When I came out they were chatting away about school and Ben's classmates etc, but as i got in the car Ben paused and said 'Who is he, dad?' One other comment: some AS people seem to go the other way, and remember faces but not names/context. I think maybe they recognise 'common' features - so can identify components (sounds awful like that) they've seen before - but need more clues to reconstruct the whole. It's just a guess, but I suspect the latter (name losers) fall into a subgroup who aren't generally 'visual' learners and therefore don't make detailed visual associations, whereas the others (face-forgetters) are very visual and therefore only see details rather than the whole... Does that make anuy sense??? L&P BD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wishingwell Report post Posted June 7, 2007 My daughter (13) has the same problem with both faces and names - she still doesn't know peoples names in her class that she's been with for 3 or 4 years and she will walk past people that she has known for years and years and not recognizes their faces. She very often appears rude or ignorant when people say hello or wave as she totally either doesn't even see that they are waving/speaking to her and even if she did wouldn't know who they were anyway......... My son is the same 'jb' he only recognises people by the sound of their voice. Many worrying moments of him going of with strangers and me chasing after him. The school sent him home photo's of his whole class so he could find things about their faces that he could match with their names. At home he names them by the things and I keep reminding him not to do this give them a name. We've had some laughs too about this. But yes it does add to his difficulties. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
carrieq Report post Posted June 7, 2007 Ds has been with the same group of children for 4 years and still can't name all the children in his class. Carrie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hev Report post Posted June 7, 2007 i have this and i only realised it this year been going to katies nursery since september last year and apart from one i wouldnt know any childs name or recognise them out of school,its hard to deal with as it can make me come across as rude when actually im very chatty and love talking to people but i just dont recognise them ive not been dx with anything havent even looked into it,i just plod along in my little hev bubble Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oxgirl Report post Posted June 7, 2007 I saw a programme once where it tested various children on face recognition. They showed the children lots of photos of people and tracked which areas of the faces the children were scanning with their eyes. It showed that autistic children spend a longer than average time observing a person's mouth than any other part of their face. This struck a cord with me, because it's a person's teeth that I find the most recognisable feature of their face and I just thought that was interesting. My lad doesn't look much at people's faces, but glances at them and then away. We met a teacher in town once and Jay didn't look up at her face once. When I asked him if he knew who it was, he said yes, he did, because he recognized her voice. Does anyone else find it quite 'scary' to see their reflections or a photo of themselves?? For me I find it quite disconcerting, trying to relate what I see to the inside of my head!! Bid, my lad went through a phase of being terrified of his own reflection, it developed into a phobia of mirrors. When we were out shopping, if he came across a mirror and suddenly saw himself he would scream and run away terrified! ~ Mel ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smiley Report post Posted June 7, 2007 Hiya, My son has Prosopagnosia, he doesn't recognise many of the children in his class - and he's been with them for four years! He generally goes by voices, clothes, and body language (amazingly good at recognising - and mimicking - known peoples body language/voices, but useless at using that information to understand the persons feelings ). I have long-ish hair, if i wear my hair up he gets very unsettled and pulls it down. I was at his school for a meeting, he walked straight past me - he looked at me, but kept going without recognising me. As has been said before, he wasn't expecting to see me there. It can be very difficult for him in crowded places, for many reasons - one of them being, he can't see the peoples faces - if he's anxious, more of the face 'disapears' - so it looks to him, like a room full of faceless people and quite frightening. http://www.prosopagnosia.com/ I have no problems recognising or looking at faces - but i tend to look more at the persons body language and i will focus on one feature of their face, such as mouth. I can become facinated with that feature - normally resulting in me ignoring what they're saying! I love to people watch and have a great instinct for reading people - friends will often ask me to meet their new partner/friend because they want my opinion. I'm also great at reading friends feelings and will often begin to chat to them - only for them to be staggered as to how i knew what they were thinking about! Only downside to that is - i'm not very good at pretending to like someone i don't like.......... ........ not so subtle!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pearl Report post Posted June 7, 2007 JP finds it particularly difficult when watching tv - cant tell one similar character from another. Enoch Powell once didnt recognise his own wife because she was wearing a different hat - undiagnosed Aspie if ever there was one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seasparrow Report post Posted June 7, 2007 (edited) I forget all the time. When I go out I meet new people. I always forget them the next week. Sometimes weeks can go by before I will remember their faces ans its the same with names. I have to see someone many times before I can remember them. Sometimes I try to use a memory technique to remember them and this does work most times. But its remember to use the technique. One times I was at a local shop and I saw my uncle outside. I waved but he didnt wave back so I assumed he didnt see me. He came inside the shop and was staring right at me and I was smiling back. Then I felt something was not quite right - this man was not my uncle but he was bald and had a white shirt on which is what my uncle looks like. At a party held for me years ago all my family was there. I had not seen many of them for a few years and 1 cousin, who I had spent all my childhood with (weekends) came up to me and I had no idea who she was. That was probably the most embarrassing time I have not recognised someone. Edited June 7, 2007 by seasparrow Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bikergal Report post Posted June 7, 2007 I'm a bit like that with names and faces. Sometimes I'll recognise someone and I know I KNOW them but I can't remember how I know them (because they're out of context). And names, well...that's another story. I often don't 'hear' the end of some words so it can make names even more difficult! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mumble Report post Posted June 7, 2007 Wow - I could go through these posts and tick off on nearly everything how I experience people in my environment. On reflection, I think one of the reasons I feel safe at college is that there's a limited number of people (it just happens that my department is housed in an annex so I'm sheltered from the big bad world of lots of people). I also have problems with my own face. ... Does anyone else find it quite 'scary' to see their reflections or a photo of themselves?? For me I find it quite disconcerting, trying to relate what I see to the inside of my head!! Bid - yes, absolutely. It's very difficult for many people to appreciate that I don't know what I look like. I don't even know what colour my eyes are ... she will walk past people that she has known for years and years and not recognise their faces. She very often appears rude or ignorant when people say hello or wave as she totally either doesn't even see that they are waving/speaking to her and even if she did wouldn't know who they were anyway......... This is a huge problem for me and one of the reasons I stay in safer places. I recognise people by context and items - so my supervisor is the person in my depatment wearing jeans, checked shirt and curly hair - but out of the department or in different clothes and I'm stuck. People in my department who I don't see often, might say hello as they walk past and I have no idea it's someone I know, and yes I have been called rude for not responding - I've got to the stage of trying not to care though, but it is difficult and I'm becoming more and more aware of this problem as my course progresses - I only know the name of one other student on my course, I don;t know the names of any students I live with and I don't know who the people on conferences who know me are. And it can be very scary, lonely and frightening Baddad, your comments are interesting - I'm assuming not knowing names and not recognising faces are linked through my AS, but I wonder if they are linked in themselves. I'm not actually sure what type of learner I am (actually I have problems with labelling learning styles but that's for another day when I want to bore people) - I remember in audio - I can play back things I've heard and conversations. When I remember in visual ways, there's no people in my memories - it's very difficult to describe what takes their place - a sort of shape shifting bloby thing It can be very difficult for him in crowded places, for many reasons - one of them being, he can't see the peoples faces - if he's anxious, more of the face 'disapears' - so it looks to him, like a room full of faceless people and quite frightening. Ah - the potato effect (well that's what is is for me) - put me on a busy station and all the faces turn to potatoes - including people I know like my sister - people have to find me and warn me of their approach because I get terribly frightened by all these shapes I can't comprehend. I won't go near Oxford street without someone to act, basically as a human guide dog, because of all the moving incomprehensible shapes - add to that one of the potatoes recognising me and shouting a greeting - arrggh!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pearl Report post Posted June 7, 2007 Does anyone else find it quite 'scary' to see their reflections or a photo of themselves?? For me I find it quite disconcerting, trying to relate what I see to the inside of my head!! Well I always expect to see Angelina Jolie when I look in the mirror, its a shock when Deirdre Barlow looks back at me Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SallyAspie Report post Posted June 8, 2007 Nice to know I'm not unique. I don't have quite the same problems as some of the people who've posted on this topic (ie I can recognise familiar faces) but there are people who sit near me at work that I don't recognise. It gets a bit embarrassing sometimes. My husband's cousin came up to me in tesco and thanked me for an outfit I'd made for his baby and I didn't recognise him. I'd just sold some other hand made baby clothes on eBay and wondered how one of the buyers (none of whom lived near me) had managed to put a face to me. I was more out of sorts than usual at the time as I had a bad ear infection and was on the way to collect a prescription for it. Also I run raffles at the local theatre sometimes and can't remember who I've already sold tickets to so I use a slightly different tactic to other sellers (ie approaching people as they arrive then making more general offers at the interval). Oh and I forget names too although I'm good at remembering trivia! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Jordan Report post Posted June 9, 2007 get treated - it is very straightforward and virtually always successful Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Lya of the Nox Report post Posted June 9, 2007 i cannot close my eyes and visualise a face it is ok when i am around the people i love but it makes me sad when a way from them cos i feel like i have forgotten them, if that makes sense?? x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hev Report post Posted June 9, 2007 get treated - it is very straightforward and virtually always successful what do you mean?you can get treated for not recognising people?how? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mumble Report post Posted June 9, 2007 what do you mean?you can get treated for not recognising people?how? Hev - I'm glad you asked - I've been sitting here pondering whether to ask and make a fool of myself How, and more to the point, what sort, of treatment would turn my 'potatoes' into people? Is it really that simple, because it would make a huge difference to my life - no it wouldn't take away my autism, but recognising people would take away one of my major fears in socialising and conference attendence. I'm most intrigued now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted June 9, 2007 Does anyone else find it quite 'scary' to see their reflections or a photo of themselves?? Bid Yethhh...... Thizzzzz happntttth to me too Yourth thintherely Quathimodo (Parith) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hev Report post Posted June 9, 2007 Hev - I'm glad you asked - I've been sitting here pondering whether to ask and make a fool of myself i make a fool of myself constantly mumble Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hev Report post Posted June 9, 2007 Quathimodo i dont think you look like quathimodo,i think you look like a male model Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted June 9, 2007 Awww shaddup! What do you mean I LOOK like a male model??? Didn't you see my centre page spread in Vogue last month? (unfortunately it was only a 3 page gatefold, so they only had room for my enormous head!) BTW - I think you look like a model too: MODEL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hev Report post Posted June 9, 2007 whether or not its as the bride of frankenstein as long as im your bride i dont mind can you come to the meet in just a tux so i can base my fantasies on something please Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted June 9, 2007 whether or not its as the bride of frankenstein as long as im your bride i dont mind can you come to the meet in just a tux so i can base my fantasies on something please Sorry for boosting your thread, Sally, hope you enjoyed the interlude! Me and my 'tux' are off to watch a DVD - now back on topic: hev @ Jun 9 2007, 07:06 PM)what do you mean?you can get treated for not recognising people?how? mumble Hev - I'm glad you asked - I've been sitting here pondering whether to ask and make a fool of myself How, and more to the point, what sort, of treatment would turn my 'potatoes' into people? Is it really that simple, because it would make a huge difference to my life - no it wouldn't take away my autism, but recognising people would take away one of my major fears in socialising and conference attendence. I'm most intrigued now. L&P B(on)D Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Jordan Report post Posted June 10, 2007 (edited) what do you mean?you can get treated for not recognising people?how? We treat routinely, 1-2 people a day, through NHS in Scotland although not available except pivately in England. Effects are instant This is quote from Sunderland Echo from a conference for autism in Mind in Sunderland FACE blindness IMAGINE not being able to see people's faces.Vanessa Green is seeing her husband and others for the first time after only seeing their noses, since renowned international optician, Ian Jordan gave her a special pair of green lenses. LINDA COLLING reports on a rare and frightening condition �?? face blindness �?? and the ground-breaking work of the man who has helped her to see. WHEN Vanessa Green looked at her husband all she could see was his nose. For 36 years she has not been able to see anyone's faces properly �?? until now, after internationally-renowned optician, Ian Jordan fitted her specs with special green lenses. "It was weird. I was gobsmacked," says Vanessa, who saw husband Paul's face for the first time �?? and everyone else's. Faces were just a blur. Vanessa suffers from a rare condition, prosopagnosia, called face blindness. With the aid of special lights and the lenses, a whole new world opened up for Vanessa. It happened in the school hall of Columbia Grange, Washington, where Ian hosted an amazing two-hour presentation �?? "Help! Your Head Has Disappeared! Or Has It?" to show how sensory perception can impact on every one of the five senses. It was a night to remember for Vanessa, who burst into tears when, for the first time in her life, she saw people's faces properly. And she was bowled over when she saw her lorry driver husband. She said: "He's such a handsome fella. It was fantastic seeing him for the first time. "I couldn't make people's faces out before. I couldn't see any other part of their face but their nose area. When I looked at my husband his face seemed to shrink,. His face went into his nose and when I put the new glasses on his face was fine. I didn't realise how big an effect these glasses would have." Vanessa suffers from visual dyslexia, severe dyspraxia which makes her clumsy and causes her trip over and walk into things as well as severe auditory dyslexia. Edited June 10, 2007 by Ian Jordan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
