How common are special abilities related to autism?

[amarantha]

My sister, who has very limited speech (though she's been improving over time) is an exceptionally gifted artist. My mom tells me she's been drawing before she can even walk. How common are special abilities linked to autism?

Anyone here know of someone, a family member or friend, who's manifested this in some form or fashion?

[Butch01]

I've been drawing since I was about a year and a half. I dont like to brag, but every one tells me my artwork is excellent, even my art teachers in school where blown away by some of my work. I also play 5 different musical instruments. There is a link between autism and special abilities. Mostly its art and music, but some posses phenominal math skills. It depends on the individual.

[autimom]

my daughter is a phonetics decoder who could read and write at 2 and a half, she also has an amazing capacity for memory. She is almost 8 now and just became really verbal this past year.

[xocharxo]

My little sister (also under the autism syndrome) can 99.9% of the time recognize her surroundings, including roads, certain historical landmarks and such. Her sense of direction is incredibly amazing. About a year ago, we drove past her old gymnastics studio on the way home from a 3 hour trip, and, she had not been there in 3 years, and she still was able to say "Mommy, Daddy, these are the roads by gymnastics." (note: this was at about 9 at night, when the streets were pitch black.)

I find it very true that autistic children have extremely unique abilities. A family friend of ours has a little son who,too, is under the spectrum. This little boy has quite the knack for playing musical instruments. He absolutely loves it.

My little sister also loves loves loves to swim.

We have quite a few ducks in our neighborhood that come by our house on a daily basis. Each day, new ducks come. We name them all, and regardless if they only come by once a week, she is still able to match the duck to the name. We bought her a dog encyclopedia, and I tell you- its absolutely phenomonal. She knows every dog in that book by heart. She knows their temepermeant, appearance, compatibility to certain situation, characteristics, the whole thing. You can literally stand there and describe a dogs characteristics, appearance, anything, and she can tell you what dog you're describing. Her memory is so vast and huge.

I love to see that autistic children have these unique and wonderful abilities, they deserve it, after all, they have to work twice as hard as us to accomplish most things.

[hpdcop17]

I've been drawing since I was about a year and a half. I dont like to brag, but every one tells me my artwork is excellent, even my art teachers in school where blown away by some of my work. I also play 5 different musical instruments. There is a link between autism and special abilities. Mostly its art and music, but some posses phenominal math skills. It depends on the individual.

[hpdcop17]

Hi Butch,

My 4 year old grandson loves numbers. He is constantly pushing the buttons on the TV, microwave , stove, even digital clocks and radios. He is very good at numeric numbers. Ex. If I saya random number such as 100 he knows 101 comes after 100 and so on and so on. He seems to be obsessed with numbers.

[Butch01]

I hate numbers. I'm taking math in college right now and its killing me. it seems that people with autism are either really obsessed with math and sience or art and music, but not both. interesting...

[AutMom]

hpdcop17, Sounds a lot like my son at that age.... His number skills are very high now.

I've heard that those with aspergers are more likely to have difficulty in math than those with autism. Not sure how true it is.