Here is an example of how literal thinking can cause big trouble: DS was sent to the hall for an entire class period when his teacher asked him (after asking once before), if he was "ready now" to do his task. DS responded, "no." You can see how a teacher would consider that very uncooperative--gifted kid knows that question is rhetorical, right? Um, no. If you dissect your DD's social interactions, and notice that through this particular lens, you can explain most of her struggles--that's a clue.
So what if a kid has an advanced sense of humor and thinks things that are absurd are hilarious? Enjoys sarcasm? Makes up jokes (which adults would think are stupid jokes but probably advanced for his age). Would that be impossible or unlikely if there is ASD? DS seems very advanced w/ his humor and loved books like Captain Underpants when he was only 5 or 6. He giggled all the way through Monte Python. Other kids who are 9 years old probably wouldn't get it at all. But other things about him scream out ASD, like his poor eye contact, awkward conversations w/ peers, etc. Part of what makes him come across as awkward, though, is his unusual voice prosody, but he was just diagnosed with verbal dyspraxia which would explain it.
