I Want To Know Whats Wrong With This Guy, If There Is Something Wrong.

[Sasdk]

I want to know whats wrong with this guy, if there is something wrong. There is this guy at school in my class, that dosn't fit in. He is very easily dsitracted, points out obvious/useless information, has a childish humor, and talks to the teacher like were they some of his closest friends.

He is also very sensitive for stuff you almost shouldn't even care about. Like last year he started crying because someone threw his water bottle. (we are 9th graders btw) Nope, nothing specieal. Just an ordinary water bottle. He even got a new one the next day.

Another note to the easily dsitracted. Today we had chemie. He completely forgot what he was doing for about 2 minutes because he was playing with 2 magnets. it was amazing how much fun he had with just those 2 magnets. It was like he was in his own world, because it was very hard to get his attention.

So, i am wondering, is this a mental disease of some sort or is he just really far behind when it comes to growing up? Or is something else the matter? If you need additional informations just ask and i will try to find out. (sorry for bad grammer, i am danish)

[Mamyalynne]

He may well have some sort of issue, possibly on the autistic spectrum for example - but as a classmate you only need to treat him as politely as you would any other.


If he wants you to know anything, he'll tell you.

[Buenchico]

He's probably on the autism spectrum.

The very lowest estimate for the number of people on the autism spectrum is 1%. So that would mean that you should expect to find one such person in every 4 classes of 25 students.

However many experts now put the figure higher, at perhaps 4%, meaning that you'd typically expect one student in every class to be on the autism spectrum.

Autism affects people in vastly different ways but can particularly show up in the way that autistic people relate to others around them (possibly explaining the way that your fellow student talks to his teachers). It can also lead to them being either almost devoid of emotions or, conversely, highly emotional.

So that's my theory about him anyway but, since I'm on the autism spectrum myself, perhaps it's only natural that it's the first thing that occurs to me!

[Mamyalynne]

Has many of the hallmarks Chris, I agree.

[VHG]

Many of the great geniuses of the world have acted "strange" when they were younger.

For example read up on what Einstein's teachers though of him when he was young.

[woofgang]

I mean this nicely but its probably better not to use the phrase "mental disease". Its not really polite.

[Ringlet]

I hope your question is motivated by concern for his wellbeing. I do not think that any of his classmates have any right to try to put a label on him. Labels can be very hurtful for the person they are applied to, and can sometimes become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you care about the welfare and happiness of this guy, you should respect his differences, tolerate his inconsistencies and find room in your heart to stand up to those who would "throw his water bottle". Perhaps he was crying, not because his water bottle might get damaged, but because of the nasty intention of the person who threw it. That would make me cry, too, and I daresay you might be upset yourself. So leave him alone. Give him his space, be courteous to him, and try to understand that he needs affection and respect, just like anyone else.