puzzled by body language- wiping face

[zena]

before my friend wants to tell me something he will rub his hand from forehead to chin. I see it as wiping the blackboard clean (i'm old school)
btw we suspect aspergers though he is in his 40's.

any idea's

thanks

zena

[slimshady]

you need more symptoms to be sure that he suffers from the disease. may be the wiping thing is just a habit. try to notice that does he get intense about things unlike other normal beings, this can be another symptom of aspergers.

[Booch]

With the knowledge provided it's very difficult to make an accurate guess. You could most likely get better results typing "Covering your face while talking" or something similar into Google. But I'd love to take a guess none the less.

Any form of hiding your face in front of others (even for a brief period of time) is commonly associated with an insecurity.
If this is a recent development there is probably something he is wanting to tell you, but he is afraid of what you will say. He wipes his face to hide his true expression, and to avoid eye contact while he delves into his insecurities. After the wipe, he is as you said, a fresh blackboard, talking about whatever the previous topic was. If he responds with a simple "ya", a fake laugh, or just seems uninterested, that would be an ideal time for this situation to be viable because it's a very good indication that he was not thinking about the topic at hand.

I would recommend asking him why he does it. If he does not give you a reason, than tell him to stop doing it if there is no reason to be. He'll probably have a hard time stopping, so just keep bugging him about it. After awhile, if he can't stop, and still does not have a reason. Consult a Doctor. =D

[Nicki]

With him only doing one particular thing, it's pretty difficult to pick something out of the book. There must be something else he does that may trigger another "symptom." If not, then I see it as just a habit. Some people bite there lip before they speak or gesture. Maybe that's his thing, wiping the forehead.