The | Connection Between Autism, Dyslexia | And Genius

There has been extensive research into possible links between dyslexia and genius and it continues to be  ongoing, but it is clear that no child with dyslexia is precluded from being a genius.  Leonardo da Vinci is a good example.  We cannot know categorically whether or not he was dyslexic, but from studying the material he left, it is certain that the letters in his notes emulate what can be a sign of dyslexia; all his letters are reversed.  As we all know, this certainly didn’t stop him from having brilliant ideas.  Indeed, some research advocates that it may have been his dyslexic ability that was a seminal factor that contributed to his gift for visualizing his ideas in such vivid detail, and recreating them in his drawings...

Autism is something that many people are unfamiliar with, and unless you have encountered it yourself  it's a myriad of conditions, in which a child can also have what are known as islets of ability.  These islets are very special indeed and make the rest of our ability  pale into insignificance in the kinds of creativity they often demonstrate and or display.  If you are unfamiliar with the kind of things I am driving at, you may recall the film Rainman starring Dustin Hoffman, whose character had a marvelous ability in mathematics that enabled him to work out in his head the odds of winning in casino games.  This kind of special thing is not impossible for children or adults with autism.  

From a tender age, the world-famous artist Steven Wiltshire was not only able to draw, but also produced sketches which commanded a complete understanding of perspective, architecture and dimension – a maturity in ability that otherwise can take years to develop to the degree of accuracy exhibited in his work.  Tending to blend these high levels of creative ability with difficulty in being able to form empathy with others, the condition remains a perplexing one.  Notwithstanding, research to date suggests that genius and autism are not mutually exclusive.  Indeed,  not all children with autism are comfortable around lots of people they are unfamiliar with, as is the scenario with a summer school program. The children with autism I have known have handled it very well, and attended programs voluntarily.  It all  boils down to the individual child.  So if your child does have autism, depending upon how comfortable they feel around other people, enrichment programs are definitely worth exploring.  Early childhood educational programs may also be beneficial to some extent.

It is quite evident that the guidance given here on children with special educational needs can only be general, it is not intended to be otherwise, and cannot replace a specific diagnosis of your child’s abilities.  The key point of the matter to take to heart is that while there is much research still to be done, there are clearly some huge areas of potential overlap between what might be construed as genius and children with special educational needs.

If your child is attending a special school, find out if the school is aware of the full range of your child’s gifts that  you have discovered.  Parent’s evenings are the best time to do this as you, your child and teachers are all present, creating the opportunity for open and positive discussion.

Remember that teachers are there to help and advise, and are with your child five days a week.  Working together you have a much better chance of developing a winning plan for your child’s success moving forward.  Are there any other factors that you need to take into account that may be helping or blocking your child’s performances at school, for instance, relationships with peers and teachers.  Once you and your child are happy that no stone has been left unturned, and that you have worked out a solid plan of action with your school, set a date to evaluate how the plan is going and/or make any adjustments at that time.

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Children | Have Many Kinds Of Special Talents| and Gifts

Are you aware that your child may be gifted? Our children are each such a remarkable mix of individual personalities, ideas, talents, emotions and creativity that their gifts aren’t always a blaring flash of the obvious.  Amidst the chaos of child upbringing, the rush to daycare, preparation of meals, sibling rivalry, fights over toys or the television, these gifts may not be so easy to discern.  So, here are a modicum of clear signs and symptoms to help you identify your child’s individual gifts.

The leader :  Outgoing personality, enjoys and often takes the lead, from school projects to class discussions.  Always has done, ever since they were in kindergarten and took it upon themselves to reorganize the other children, the lego playsets or the Barbie doll house, when they were three. 

The Thinker – Super ideas, but shy personality, so does not take the lead in projects, and then starts to pout when they see their idea was much better than everyone else’s, and they should have spoken up.

The Entrepreneur – Does not have an affinity for homework unless it involves something that excites them, captures their imagination and gives them an opportunity to be innovative and share ideas.  Has already figured out how the school could be run better and actually make a profit.  Started a machination to buy toys or sweets to sell to his classmates and reinvesting his profits.

The Enigma : Finds attractive and delightful what might seem to others complicated, such as doing puzzles, fixing the transformer toy when dad could not make heads or tails out of it or finding the answer to that really tough question at school.

The Pop Star : Lots of energy and creativity.  Cannot sit still for even a minute and often shows off  their creative energy in any given area.  This could be expressed in any way they feel free and able to do so.  From the way they bust a move in terms of dance to the latest music video, do their hair, decorate their bedroom, present their work at school to how they make their first million, aged 10, with a new hit song.

The Mature Talker :  Constantly talking about what his friends and teachers said in school.  Reads all the time and can tell you something about almost anything under the sun.  Have far more knowledge than their peers, they can engage and enjoy conversations with older children and/or adults.  It wouldn't be sagacious to get into a debate or argument with them, as you know, they always win.

The Sophisticate: Likes learning and  eager for a challenge.  With the quiet confidence of a tiger on the prowl traking his prey, readily finishes challenging homework, and strains at the leash for lack of a better expression for more, to the annoyance of his classmates. Can be five going on 15. 

The Fidget : Enjoys learning and challenges. With the tail-wagging enthusiasm of a Jack Russell.  Finishes challenging homework, in a blink of an eye.  And if nothing new comes his way, starts pulling the tail of the cat for fun. Can be 15 going on five.

The Entertainer :  Can get on the nerves of their teachers because they can read the teacher’s mind, pre-empt their every word, and thus run rings round them every day (pity the teacher).  Likes strategy games, such as chess, and competitive sports.  Loves to win.  Rarely loses.

The Visionary :  Loves to gaze out the window and daydream. Creates pictures with pencil and paper that end up looking like something done by Michelangelo or designs for everything and anything, from a rocket launcher to a robot.  Does all this in the time they have left in lessons when they finished their work earlier than the others and the teacher hasn’t yet taken notice.

The Dazzler :  Constantly winning the mathematics, science and  poetry writing contest at school. Captains a sports team for the school and plays the piano very well.  Landed the lead part in the school play.  Can often be left out from the birthday party list of other kids afraid of losing their shine to them.

These signs and symptoms of individual ability are not exhaustive and they are not meant to be.  It is quite likely that each child will have a blend of gifts, some of which are, and some of which are not to be found in these profiles.  All or any of these indicates not only that your child has individual gifts but that they may be exceptionally brilliant, or have the potential to be outstanding.

Whatever the talents or gifts that you think your child may be endowed it is a good idea to bring out the best in your child as early as possible.  It surprises many people than your baby can learn to read as a 4-month old.  But reading to them from books will not help them quite as much as a children development tool.  Based on right-brain stimulation, such a program flashes lessons for reading and math and should not take more than 5 minutes each time. 

Your baby can learn to read and learn math at the same time with such an early learning tool. You can enhance your child’s intelligence and ability and help them achieve all that they can be.  Spend some time with your child and you can discover the hidden talents within. 

Give your child a headstart in life...

For more information on early childhood education and how to increase your child's intelligence, you'll probably want to take a look at the Genius Maker program. It’s an amazing program to teach your child not only to read, but learn mathematical skills and gain an encyclopedic knowledge. Well worth checking out! Click here to check it out...