Savant Syndrome
Savant syndrome is a rare condition in which persons with various developmental disorders, including autistic disorder, have an amazing ability and talent. The condition can be congenital (genetic or inborn), or can be acquired later in childhood, or even in adults. The savant skills coexist with various neurodevelopmental conditions including autistic disorder and/or intellectual disability, or other conditions such as genetic (chromosomal) disorders, brain malformation or injury, or other disease that occurs before (prenatal) during (perinatal) or after birth (postnatal), or even later in childhood or adult life (acquired savant).
Individuals with savant syndrome typically have intelligence quotients of around 70, below the typical range of 85-115, with genius-level knowledge in their savant abilities. Savant abilities can appear and disappear suddenly and may be categorized into *
splinter skills,
talented savants,
prodigious savants.
Splinter skills are the most common savant abilities, which include behaviors or skills that contrast with an individual’s overall level of functioning. Examples include obsessive preoccupation with and memorization of music and sports trivia, license plate numbers, maps, or historical facts. Talented savants are individuals in whom musical, artistic, or other special abilities are very prominent and highly esteemed in contrast to their overall ability. Prodigious savants involve a rare condition in which the given ability is not only spectacular compared to the individual’s ability but is also viewed as spectacular in unaffected individuals. For example, Derek Paravicini has autism and blindness and is a prodigious savant and piano player who can play any song immediately upon hearing it.
How common is savant syndrome?
Approximately one in 10 persons with autistic disorder has some savant skills. In the case of intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, as well as brain injuries, savant skills occur at a rate of less than 1%. Thus, not all savants are autistic, and not all people with autism are savants.
What causes savant syndrome?
While a number of theories have been put forth to date, no single theory can explain all savants.
What is the ‘treatment’ for savant syndrome?
Savant syndrome is not a disorder or disease, it's a condition where extraordinary skills and memory are grafted onto a more basic brain dysfunction that rises from a developmental disability or some other form of central nervous system disease or disorder.
What is the range of savant skills?
Savant skills exist over a spectrum of abilities.
The most common savant abilities are called splinter skills. These include behaviors such as obsessive preoccupation with, and memorization of, music and sports trivia, license plate numbers, maps, historical facts, or obscure items such as vacuum cleaner motor sounds, for example.
Talented savants are those persons in whom musical, artistic, mathematical or other special skills are more prominent and highly honed, usually within an area of single expertise, and are very conspicuous when viewed against their overall handicap.
The term prodigious savant is reserved for those very rare persons in this already uncommon condition where the special skill or ability is so outstanding that it would be spectacular even if it were to occur in a non-handicapped person. In such a non-handicapped person the term “genius” would be applied. There are probably fewer than 75 prodigious savants living worldwide at the present time who would meet this high threshold of special skill.
What are typical savant skills?
Typically, a particular skill occurs singularly in each person with savant syndrome. However, in some instances multiple skills occur in the same person. Regardless of the type of skill, it is always combined with exceptional memory.
The month of April is National Autism Awareness Month, a month to raise awareness about this pervasive disorder that results in abnormal social interactions, poor communication skills and restricted, repetitive behaviors, interests and activities. Eating disorders are prevalent amongst those with autism. Studies have shown that 20 -30% of those with autism also have an eating disorder due to autism’s relation to routines and rigid thinking and emotional regulation.
Autism is diagnosed in childhood and carried on through adulthood. Parents of children with autism report unusual responses to environmental stimuli, including extreme reaction or a surprising lack of response to sensory input. The most recent numbers from the Centers for Disease Control indicate that one in 59 children has autism. A 2018 study in the Journal of Pediatrics found that one in 40 children in the United States has the condition. These numbers are not on the rise, but instead, more children are now being diagnosed because of the widespread awareness, education and tools designated to autism. In past decades, children still had this disorder, but were not being correctly diagnosed.
Conditions That Mimic Autism
Autism is categorized by the following groups of symptoms and can often be mistaken for other mental health and behavioral disorders that share similar characteristics, such as social interaction and communication problems or a difficulty relating to people, things and events.
1. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
The symptoms of OCD, such as compulsive hand washing, cleaning or touching items like doorknobs, can resemble the repetitive motions of autism. The key difference is that individuals with OCD often feel uncomfortable, bothered or tormented by their compulsions, while repetitive or intrusive thoughts don’t always bother people with autism. The impulses can even be a source of comfort to those with autism.
2. Antisocial personality disorder
Often called, sociopathy, this personality disorder is characterized by the pattern of disregarding or violating the rights of others. Individuals with an antisocial personality disorder will act against the social norms and break the rules and law resulting in reckless disregard for others. These individuals often lack empathy and are always in trouble with the law. They will lie and even practice physical violence against others. They have an underlying ulterior motive or agenda and often have experienced abuse, neglect or trauma in childhood. Individuals with autism may act against social norms; however, they do not carry an agenda or ulterior motive and do not have a history of childhood abuse or trauma.
3. Schizophrenia
This serious mental illness is characterized by incoherent or illogical thoughts, bizarre behavior and speech and delusions or hallucinations, such as hearing voices. Both schizophrenia and autism involve cognitive and sensory-processing problems, both seem to run in families and both include atypical brain development. However, individuals with autism do not have delusions or hallucinations, which are critical components of schizophrenia. Also, schizophrenia is usually diagnosed in adulthood where autism is diagnosed in childhood.
4. Learning disorders
Learning disorders are a spectrum of disabilities that interfere with the three “R”s, reading, writing and arithmetic. While kids with autism will also struggle with learning, they are capable of intense focus and comprehension on a topic that interests them. Autism is a disorder of development that mainly involves social understanding, communication and repetitive routines or behaviors, including narrow and obsessive interests.
5. Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD)
There can be overlap in the symptoms of autism and ADHD, difficulty focusing, hyperactivity and impulsivity. But while children with ADHD will resist order and repetition, these things can be comforting for a child with autism. A child with autism may be reluctant to speak or engage with others unless they are talking about a topic that interests them. With ADHD, a child will impulsively speak, often and interrupt others.
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Very informative post