Savant syndrome is when someone with developmental or cognitive disabilities has highly advanced intellectual abilities in one area. 50% of those with this condition have autism spectrum disorder. Unusual skills may have employment value, enabling independence. The term “savant” is preferred over “idiotic savants” or “autistic savants.”
Savant syndrome is the appearance of highly advanced intellectual abilities in one area of cognitive functioning in someone who has developmental or cognitive disabilities. Individuals with this condition operate in most areas of their lives with cognitive impairment, but have an unusual degree of talent for something in particular, such as math, playing a musical instrument, or memorizing materials presented to them. This phenomenon was first described in the 1800s, although evidence suggests that the sages, as they are known, existed long before this era.
An estimated 50% of people with savant syndrome have autism spectrum disorder. Other cognitive and developmental disabilities may also be involved, ranging from Down syndrome to childhood brain injury. People with savant syndrome generally have difficulty learning and acquiring new information and may experience social difficulties because they have difficulty understanding other people or fail to acquire social skills. They may need helpers or personal assistants to complete daily tasks.
Exhibitions of unusual levels of ability in a specific area of achievement may begin to show at a young age or may not be identified until later. People with developmental and cognitive disabilities have historically not been considered worthy of education, and as a result, many people with savant syndrome have gone unrecognized because they have not had access to materials they could have used to demonstrate their abilities. If a musical instrument is never placed in a child’s hand, for example, the child cannot develop and display musical talent.
Some people with savant syndrome have been able to use their abilities to achieve a high degree of independence. Unusual skills such as being excellent at memorizing, good at math, and so on may have employment value, enabling people to support themselves independently. Even if helpers or assistants are needed, the person with savant syndrome can still live and act independently thanks to guaranteed income and other benefits.
Individuals with this condition have been the subject of fascinated study since they were first identified. Once known as “idiotic savants” or “autistic savants,” the term “savant” is preferred today, reflecting the fact that “idiot” has become a loaded term in the disability community and that not all people with savant syndrome have autism spectrum disorders. Some examples of depictions of savantism in popular culture include characters in The Rain Man and A Beautiful Mind, although some critics have questioned the accuracy of these depictions.
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