I’ve previously covered why I think Sheldon Cooper has Asperger’s Syndrome (click here). Despite a multitude of support to my claim in the show, I’ve been told that the producers refuse to comment on this issue. Below are some more clips which I think further shows why Sheldon has Asperger’s:
Sheldon’s hair:
In the clip below, Sheldon is a couple of dates late for his haircut because his barber is ill. The clip below shows how Sheldon prefers routines and predictability- a characteristic common with people with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. He gets his haircut from Mr. Denafrio, and Mr. Denafrio alone.
Sheldon gets a date:
Sheldon struggles to understand the unwritten rules of communication- another characteristic exhibited by people with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. In this scene, he was trying to get a date for Penny, but ends up getting a date for himself because of his lack of grasp of social conventions:
Amy is angry at Sheldon:
Sheldon here was faced with a dilemma: shall he choose his girlfriend, Amy or his new found friend, Will Wheaton? Amy became angry at Sheldon because he did not defend her. This shows how difficult it could be for people with Asperger’s to maintain social relationships. This further highlights how important a role Sheldon’s friends and mother plays on his life.
Sheldon and Amy on a date:
Another scene which shows his lack of social understanding:
Number 43:
In this episode, Howard and Raj stalked Sheldon due to their curiousity about what he does at 2.45pm. What was missing in the clip below is Sheldon’s explanation of why he escapes to that old storage room. He told Raj and Howard:
“…you may not realise it but I have difficulties navigating certain aspects of real life. Not understading sarcasm, feigning interest in others, not talking about trains as much as I want to. It’s exhausting! Which is why for twenty minutes a day, I had to go down to that room, turn my mind off and do what I need to do to recharge… You don’t need to know; you don’t deserve to know and you will never know (what 43 is and what I do)!”
To me, this room is very similar to a quiet room or a sensory room, which some people- especially young ones, use to calm down.
Sheldon asks Penny not to break up with Leonard:
In this last clip, Sheldon shows his good side, asking Penny not to break up with his best friend, Leonard. This shows that despite his struggles with social rules and conventions (he went into Penny’s apartment in the middle of the night), he can still show compassion in his own unusual ways. People with Asperger’s Syndrome may have find a lot of social situations challenging, but that does not mean that they are incapable of feeling emotions that neurotypicals do. They may not express these emotions in the ways that we are accustomed to, but they sure have their ways.
More on Autism:
He flaps his hands and screams a lot but he doesn’t mean to annoy you
Optimum Outcomes for people with Autism
DSM 5 and its implications to ASD diagnosis
Diagnosing Autism: What you need to know
Vote for Miss Montana 2012, Alexis Wineman
Communication difficulties in Autism
Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon Cooper: Asperger’s Syndrome’s Poster Boy?
The Autistic Me: BBC Documentary
Temple Grandin: The world needs all kinds of minds
Autism in the classroom:
Guide to parents of students with ASD on coping with the first day back to school
Common signs of Autism in the classroom
First day back to school: Top tips for parents of children with Autism
Practical tips to make your classroom Autism-Friendly
Inspiring People with Autism:
Jessica-Jane Applegate (British Paralympian)
Satoshi Tajiri (Pokemon creator)
More on Savants:
The Psychology of Savants: Memory Masters
The Einstein Effect: Is there a link between having Autism and being a genius?
Understanding and Embracing Diversity 
I don’t really think this topic is really disputed anymore. But, from a writer’s point of view, they are doing the right thing in not confirming it, or writing a diagnosis into the show. The instant they do that, they would be obliged to portray the condition accurately, and that would limit their freedom with the character. I believe I read an interview where Chuck Lorre said much the same thing.
They had an episode in which Sheldon’s Mum visited and she said a couple of times that she wished she had sent him to the “specialist in Houston” when he was a child. I took this as the writers acknowledging that he does probably have some kind of developmental condition, but was never diagnosed because his Mum decided not to follow things up and he was mostly able to function independently.
Having said that, in the last season or so, I feel like his “Aspergers-like” characteristics are being played down more and more and he’s being presented as simply odd and self-absorbed. He still expresses frustration and confusion at the way other people live and communicate, but he lacks the same vulnerable disconnectedness in his manner and relationships. I can understand why the writers feel like they wanted to have freedom for the character but to me his uniqueness has been diminished and it’s actually taken something away.
I don’t like it when writers refuse to confirm something that is obvious to everyone watching. It’s something comedy writers are particularly guilty of. It seems to me that they’re just leaving the door open to explain away inconsistencies in their own writing, and that to me is a cop out.
I could see that sheldon had asperger syndrome the first time i watched the show. Each show there after on re enforced my conclusion. I think they do a great job showing this affliction in a positive manner.
I have a good reason. Sheldon reminds me of all of my friends on the spectrum. 😉
No matter if some one searches for his required thing, so he/she wishes to be available that in detail, therefore that thing is maintained
over here.
My 15 year old was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome when he was 5. He acts, speaks and behaves exactly like Sheldon – though his IQ is not quite as high 😛
My son with ASD has some common traits with Sheldon, but is much more aware of his thoughts and impact on others. He is more intuitive to social interactions, and learns daily more and more about how others’ act in comparison to him. He is the smartest person I know (at age 14). I have Aspergers and have some things in common with Sheldon, but have much more not in common. Being a female with ASD I have extreme compassion, empathy, and an over-analyzed understanding of societal expectations and ‘games.’ Thanks for sharing. Sam at Everyday Aspergers
I also have Aspergers. I have to say it drives me nuts. I deal with people who judge me because they don`t have the knowledge or the information about this mental illness. I didn`t want to have this ability, I just got stuck with it. Even my classmates in highschool judged me. Including my friends. Granted I am now 35, it is still difficult.
I don’t see it as a mental illness, but a different way of looking at the world. It’s not considered a mental illness. I understand though, many of us have hard times in life and sometimes question why. Wishing you the best