Rosie King, from Wakefield, recognised her own symptoms as she read the book about autism Little Rain Man.

She had been given the book to help her understand the condition her six-year-old brother Lenny had been diagnosed with when he was two.

Her parents, Sharon, 38, and Richard, 43, did not know that Rosie found it hard to identify facial expressions and to make friends. But when she read the book she told her mum that's what she felt too.

Part-time lunch supervisor Sharon said: "We were reading the book together, and when it came to a section on Asperger's Rosie blurted out 'I think this might be me'.

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"We couldn't believe it. It all started to make sense. We always knew Lenny was autistic, since he was diagnosed when he was really young.

"Their behaviours are completely opposite to one another, Lenny barely says a word and is very awkward around people, and lacks any social intent, whereas Rosie has always been highly sociable."

Happy

The book, written by Karen Simmons, is told from the perspective of an autistic child, named Jonathan.

Sharon said: "Rosie could be a little peculiar, but more than anything we thought she was just a very sociable and happy child."

Rosie's little sister, Daisy, eight, has Kabuki syndrome – a rare condition that produces developmental abnormalities.

Sharon and civil engineer Richard took Rosie to see a speech therapist, child psychologist and behavioural therapist.

Rosie was officially diagnosed with mild Asperger's Syndrome in August last year.

The condition is an autistic disorder which can cause communication and emotional problems.

Sharon said: "Some children with Asperger's find it very difficult to communicate with people around them but Rosie is so inquistive and always wants to know what's going on around her."

Rosie said: "I want to make a film and then become an inventor. I have also written 11 books and I love art. I like having Asperger's, it makes me different and gives me a great imagination."