Autism and Savant syndrome

Savant syndrome is an extraordinary ability possessed by some people.  Almost 50 percent of these geniuses emerge from autistic population. All savant people are not autistic and all autistic people are not savants. Autistic children or adults with above or below average IQ levels can be found with this exceptionally rare phenomena.

Savant syndromes signify remarkable memory in individuals.  Ability to recognize, count and memorize in many different ways and forms like Rhythms in music, calculating calendar, calculating in lightening speed, exceptional artistic work, and record minute details or repeat an operation endlessly efficiently.

These brilliant skills can appear and disappear suddenly. Sometimes In autistic children when they start to interact socially or gain good verbal communication these abilities start to disappear. 

Autistic children dislike altering their normal routines. Their ability to focus on one particular task intensely could be the reason for perfection which results in savant syndrome.

The fascination of Savant Syndrome became more speculative and popular after the Academy winning movie of Dustin Hoffman ‘Rain man’.

When the mystery of savant syndrome is solved there’s expectation that it may lead a light to the mystery of autism as well.