Our oldest, born one month premature, had umbilical cord oxygen deprivation. Plus, bilirubin jaundice and the damage remained to be seen. David is unique and he made it. It wasn't easy.
The outdated and offensive term "idiot savant" is now known as savant syndrome. When this condition co-occurs with autism, it is also referred to as autistic savant.
While a small percentage of autistic individuals exhibit these "islands of genius" (such as exceptional skills in math, memory, or music), the original term fell out of use because only a fraction of those with the syndrome have autism, and "idiot" is a deeply stigmatizing, ableist word.
But it was a word once used in the Labeling of humans using psychiatric terms.
I have taught art to many autistic children and others with special needs in their uniqueness.
I love them all.
ALL LIVES MATTER
Short story by Clara Mae Gregory
Written on 2026-06-11 at 16:03
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Savant Syndrome
Savant SyndromeThe outdated and offensive term "idiot savant" is now known as savant syndrome. When this condition co-occurs with autism, it is also referred to as autistic savant.
While a small percentage of autistic individuals exhibit these "islands of genius" (such as exceptional skills in math, memory, or music), the original term fell out of use because only a fraction of those with the syndrome have autism, and "idiot" is a deeply stigmatizing, ableist word.
But it was a word once used in the Labeling of humans using psychiatric terms.
I have taught art to many autistic children and others with special needs in their uniqueness.
I love them all.
ALL LIVES MATTER
Short story by Clara Mae Gregory
Written on 2026-06-11 at 16:03
Save as a bookmark (requires login) Write a comment (requires login) Send as email (requires login) Print text
