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General Parenting
Kim Peek, "the real rain man"
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<blockquote data-quote="Marguerite" data-source="post: 96480" data-attributes="member: 1991"><p>From what I've seen of Peek and others like him, it seems the more narrow the window on their world, the more intricate and amazing their special skill can become. Conversely, the more they develop towards 'normality' the more they seem to lose the more spectacular manifestations of their savant abilities.</p><p></p><p>difficult child 3 was prodigious as a baby; he was attracted to letters and numbers and seemed to care for little else. He did not respond to his own name, it was as if names did not exist. Similarly, he did not seem to understand language. He understood sound and could mimic it remarkably accurately, but with no understanding, no frame of reference. </p><p></p><p>He was reading single digit numbers - not sure how old, maybe 1? Two digit numbers very soon after. I do remember him standing in front of the microwave oven reading the numbers backwards as they counted down to zero. He would also count up whenever he saw numbers moving. Not sure when - some time between 12 & 18 months. He could also count when away from the sight of numbers, but would be triggered by seeing a number such as a speed limit sign, or the numbers on a car.</p><p></p><p>Reading whole words came soon after. Most of the words were from shop signs (hence upper case). But he was typing his alphabet before he was 2. A few days after his second birthday he was typing upper case (keyboard) to match a lower case letter on the computer screen. We have this on videotape. By then he had been reading whole words.</p><p></p><p>As he learned to read a word, he learned to use it because I would write it down for him with a picture and also show him the real item. I worked with him to teach him - by now we suspected some form of Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). He had his hearing checked as normal and was also reading music and playing the piano. He'd been doing this since before 2 years old.</p><p></p><p>I'm not sure if it was before his fourth birthday or his fifth, but I was preparing for a Christmas church service and was in the garden with my pocket New Testament when a visitor disturbed me. As we chatted, difficult child 3 picked up my Bible and read it aloud, word perfect. He did not understand what he was reading. I do know he had not bad understanding (basics, anyway) by 5, so I think he must have been not quite 4.</p><p></p><p>But as difficult child 3 has grown older, he has slowly changed from being freakishly talented in this, to only seeming gifted. Instead of learning new things he has had less to learn in terms of grammar, spelling and phonics and now must also encompass open and hidden meaning; social context; irony; humour; satire. And he is doing this. In mathematics, he now has to handle algebra, complex equations (as well as why they're used and how they work) and computer programming language. Music - the same speech stammer that makes his speech sometimes seem repetitive or slow also affects his playing, until he keeps repeating a phrase so much the work has lost all meaning. He is adept at music theory, but in practice has reached his limits.</p><p></p><p>Computer games - he's a genius, but in this world what does it count for? It DOES give him confidence, but he's still diversifying and consolidating skills that his peers 'got' years ago, and as he tries to learn more abstract things, his peers are catching up to his previously prodigious levels in grammar and numeracy.</p><p></p><p>difficult child 3 is trending towards normality and in the process apparently losing a lot of what made him seem so remarkable.</p><p></p><p>I don't begrudge this - he clearly has an amazing intellect which when little, was entirely turned towards letter, numbers and music. Now his attentions and abilities have diversified; and in so doing, have balanced out more.</p><p></p><p>difficult child 3's good friend is also autistic - not as severely. He has always been amazing at model-building, but as he gets older and gains more skills in other areas, he plays with his models less and less. The models were a springboard; he will always be skilled in spatial problem solving, but is currently engrossed in discovering what else he can do.</p><p></p><p>We see this over and over, in the kids we know through local support groups and classes. It's a fascinating thing.</p><p></p><p>Occasionally you'll meet a savant who is also very capable in other areas, but I believe this is rare. Understanding of savant phenomena is still poor - we need a lot more understanding here.</p><p></p><p>Marg</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Marguerite, post: 96480, member: 1991"] From what I've seen of Peek and others like him, it seems the more narrow the window on their world, the more intricate and amazing their special skill can become. Conversely, the more they develop towards 'normality' the more they seem to lose the more spectacular manifestations of their savant abilities. difficult child 3 was prodigious as a baby; he was attracted to letters and numbers and seemed to care for little else. He did not respond to his own name, it was as if names did not exist. Similarly, he did not seem to understand language. He understood sound and could mimic it remarkably accurately, but with no understanding, no frame of reference. He was reading single digit numbers - not sure how old, maybe 1? Two digit numbers very soon after. I do remember him standing in front of the microwave oven reading the numbers backwards as they counted down to zero. He would also count up whenever he saw numbers moving. Not sure when - some time between 12 & 18 months. He could also count when away from the sight of numbers, but would be triggered by seeing a number such as a speed limit sign, or the numbers on a car. Reading whole words came soon after. Most of the words were from shop signs (hence upper case). But he was typing his alphabet before he was 2. A few days after his second birthday he was typing upper case (keyboard) to match a lower case letter on the computer screen. We have this on videotape. By then he had been reading whole words. As he learned to read a word, he learned to use it because I would write it down for him with a picture and also show him the real item. I worked with him to teach him - by now we suspected some form of Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). He had his hearing checked as normal and was also reading music and playing the piano. He'd been doing this since before 2 years old. I'm not sure if it was before his fourth birthday or his fifth, but I was preparing for a Christmas church service and was in the garden with my pocket New Testament when a visitor disturbed me. As we chatted, difficult child 3 picked up my Bible and read it aloud, word perfect. He did not understand what he was reading. I do know he had not bad understanding (basics, anyway) by 5, so I think he must have been not quite 4. But as difficult child 3 has grown older, he has slowly changed from being freakishly talented in this, to only seeming gifted. Instead of learning new things he has had less to learn in terms of grammar, spelling and phonics and now must also encompass open and hidden meaning; social context; irony; humour; satire. And he is doing this. In mathematics, he now has to handle algebra, complex equations (as well as why they're used and how they work) and computer programming language. Music - the same speech stammer that makes his speech sometimes seem repetitive or slow also affects his playing, until he keeps repeating a phrase so much the work has lost all meaning. He is adept at music theory, but in practice has reached his limits. Computer games - he's a genius, but in this world what does it count for? It DOES give him confidence, but he's still diversifying and consolidating skills that his peers 'got' years ago, and as he tries to learn more abstract things, his peers are catching up to his previously prodigious levels in grammar and numeracy. difficult child 3 is trending towards normality and in the process apparently losing a lot of what made him seem so remarkable. I don't begrudge this - he clearly has an amazing intellect which when little, was entirely turned towards letter, numbers and music. Now his attentions and abilities have diversified; and in so doing, have balanced out more. difficult child 3's good friend is also autistic - not as severely. He has always been amazing at model-building, but as he gets older and gains more skills in other areas, he plays with his models less and less. The models were a springboard; he will always be skilled in spatial problem solving, but is currently engrossed in discovering what else he can do. We see this over and over, in the kids we know through local support groups and classes. It's a fascinating thing. Occasionally you'll meet a savant who is also very capable in other areas, but I believe this is rare. Understanding of savant phenomena is still poor - we need a lot more understanding here. Marg [/QUOTE]
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