Some people have a great attention to detail. Others have minds with a high level of intelligence. And some are highly creative. Those people are either geniuses, autistic or both.
That leaves us with the question: Is there a link between autism and genius?
Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a range of conditions that impairs one’s ability to comprehend social cues and language skills. Autism is a very broad term. It is a neurological disorder that varies in severity. One person who is diagnosed with autism could live one’s life independently, while another with the same condition would need more support in his or her daily life.
Although some people perceive autism as a challenge, many people with autism use their unique mind to an advantage.
Their brains are wired in a way that allows them to see the world from a different perspective. Studies have found that people with autism excel in areas of arts, math, memory and other creative projects. Autism is associated with close attention to detail, exclusive focus and the recognition of patterns. They are creative geniuses.
When dealing with physical activity, they do not always pick up the exercise on the first try. What they can do is retain the instructions taught to them and practice the activity repetitively until they are able to master it.
Cal Poly Pomona’s kinesiology department works with kids who have disabilities or disorders at the motor development clinic. Students majoring in kinesiology work with the kids to better their physical exercise.
“These kids have taught me a lot from my time with them. The physical exercises we teach them don’t come as easy, but they retain all the information I tell them. They have really good memory,” said Jedadiah Santos, a fourth-year kinesiology major.
In a recent study, Irish psychologist, Michael Fitzgerald goes into detail about the physical and mental characteristics of autistic people’s brains.
“People with autism have difficulty recognizing faces; they show a strong desire to systematize; and on average their brains are larger and heavier than normal brains from around the age of 2 to 4 years,” said Fitzgerald, author of “Autism and Creativity.”
Autism is also found in many names we hear on television and books.
Tim Burton and Woody Allen are incredibly talented people who also have autism. They have made a huge impact on our society. Burton and Allen have both influenced and dominated the film industry with their creative minds and perception of the world. Burton brings his characters to life in films with his quirky imagination. Allen’s neurotic habits and out-of-the-box thinking are the reasons why he is a successful writer, actor and director.
Albert Einstein is known to be the most famous scientist and mathematician for introducing the theory of relativity. Closer to the end of Einstein’s life, autism became a suspected diagnosis. Experts believe that Einstein’s habit of repeating phrases and his close attention to detail fit the characteristics of Asperger’s syndrome, a functioning form of autism.
Although some facts about autism remain unknown, technology is advancing and slowly starting to answer questions. The more we learn about autism, the less we see it as a disease.
Some of the greatest breakthroughs and inventions would never have occurred without the different thought of autistic people.
