Darold treffert looks at what we know about this remarkable condition, and at new discoveries that raise interesting questions about the hidden brain potential within us all. If you tell him your date of birth, he can tell you what day of the week it fell on and what. Savant syndromesometimes abbreviated as savantismis not a recognized medical diagnosis, but researcher darold treffert defines it as a rare condition in which persons with developmental disorder s including autism spectrum disorders have one or more areas of expertise, ability or brilliance that are in contrast with the individuals overall limitations. Treffert has written articles in scientific american and mind. A closer look at children who read early or speak late. Darold treffert myths about autism the art of autism.
And as psychiatrist, scientific american contributor and savant expert darold treffert wrote. Darold allen treffert, american psychiatrist, writer, hospital administrator. Adam piore is an awardwinning journalist and book author based in new york. Kim peek, who is developmentally disabled, knows more than 7,600 books by. I discussed some of those cases in detail in the august issue of scientific american under the title accidental genius. He has been studying savant syndrome since he met his first savant in 1962, when he developed a childrens unit at a hospital in wisconsin, usa. An article by past society president darold treffert, md.
Treffert is an american psychiatrist with an interest in savant syndrome, sometimes called autistic savant syndrome or similar terms. Hyperlexia characteristics faq with answers from phyllis kupperman. For nearly half a century, darold treffert has singlemindedly pursued one focus. Extraordinary people share book recommendations with. Summarizes reported cases and the observations of their chroniclers. Psychiatrist treffert pulls together in this engrossing book his 26 years of research on the mindboggling phenomenon of the idiot savant. Morrow had earlier been involved in writing the story for the television movie bill, about a mentally retarded person sensitively portrayed by mickey rooney. Wallace photographs by ethan hill kim peek, who is developmentally disabled, knows more than 7,600 books by heart as well as every area code, highway, zip code and television station in the u. It was 126 years ago that down first described savant syndrome as a specific condition and 70 years ago that kanner first described early infantile autism. Although savant syndrome is not an officially recognised medical diagnosis, darold treffert, an american research psychiatrist, who was a consultant for the film rain man. Kim peek the inspiration for rain man possesses one of the most extraordinary memories every recorded. Darold treffert explores recentlydiscovered phenomena such as genetic memory, the capacity of some individuals to know things they never learned, and acquired savantism, instances in which a neurotypical person unexpectedly and spectacularly develops savantlike abilities following a trauma such as a head. Benjamin rush, often considered the father of american.
Treffert graduated from the university of wisconsin medical school in 1958. I interview the worlds foremost expert in savant syndrome. His mental library of 9,000 books includes encyclopedic coverage of everything from shakespeare to musical composers to the maps of all major cities in the u. From the art of autism shifting perceptinos by debra hosseini. Scientific american is the essential guide to the most aweinspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the. I came across darold treffert s book extraordinary people in a secondhand bookshop decades ago.
The end of absence how to fix the nsa a comment on the great. A window on savant syndrome closes with the death of kim peek. Kim peek was the inspiration for screen writer barry morrows 1988 oscarwinning movie rain man. Known as a megasavant, he had an exceptional memory, but he also experienced social difficulties, possibly resulting from a developmental disability related to congenital brain abnormalities. Scientific american is the essential guide to the most aweinspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives. Take, for example, savants people who have mental abilities that could only be characterized as superhuman like having photographic memory, playing music perfectly after hearing it just once, or doing complex mathematical calculations in ones head but otherwise severely disabled in. Treffert was a clinical professor at the university of wisconsin medical school. Treffert has published two books on savant syndrome. The scientific american reader to accompany myers edition 2. Thoughout the book he rather articulately describes the scientific reasons for savant syndrome. American psychological association darold treffert s islands of genius provides a fascinating and richly detailed account of the clinical and neuropsychological aspects of savant syndrome, the presence of very unusual abilities in persons with developmental disabilities. Until we can explain his abilities, we cannot pretend to under. Treffert born march 12, 1933 is a retired psychiatrist and current research director who specializes in the epidemiology of autism spectrum disorders and savant syndrome. Treffer t was a clinical professor at the university of wisconsin medical school.
Handpicked by david myers, these 14 classic and current articles provide another tool for enhancing lectures, encouraging discussions, and emphasizing the relevance of psychology to everyday life. Consistent with the toolstotheories heuristic which says that new scientific tools suggest new metaphors of mind, society, or nature but are accepted by a scientific community only after its members have become users of the tool the mind as computer metaphor was not broadly accepted until the 1970s and 1980s. Wallace photographs by ethan hill of genius islands artistic brilliance and a dazzling memory can sometimes accompany autism and other developmental disorders l eslie lemke is a musical virtuoso. Kim began memorizing books at the age of 18 months, as they were read to him. This book is his third on savant personalities, and his vivid pictures of savant skills are always presented as attributes of real peoplenot as features of a clinical syndrome treffert. It was a lucky find, and has been an inspirational book for me all the time since including for my own sf novels. Darold treffert center for academic research and training. In inside the mind of a savant, from the december 2005 scientific american, darold a. Society membership is the most effective way to engage in politics, from our texting platform wismed voice to inperson meetings with legislators and participating in doctor day. Treffert born march 12, 1933 is a retired psychiatrist and current research director.
Treffert, a psychiatrist in wisconsin, has done research on autism and savant syndrome since 1962, the year he fi rst met a savant. Treffert, md, clinical professor, university of wisconsin medical schoolmadison. He can recite the highways that go to each american city, town or county, along with the area and zip codes, television stations and telephone networks that serve them. Scientific american is the essential guide to the most aweinspiring advances in science and technology. Agnes hospital and serves on the board of trustees of marian university. Darold has also published two books on savant syndrome. Dateline, cnn and a number of documentaries in the united states and other countries. He also served as a consultant for the 1988 movie rain man which depicts the life of. Article on the acquired savant in scientific american. It explores recent findings on the acquired savant. As a result of that interest, and ability, in 1984 mr. What should have been a difficult book to get through turned out to be a sheer delight.
Pdf islands of genius gregory wallace and darold treffert. It is 291 pages long and if you are willing to patiently work your way through it its not the kind of book that lends itself to being read in one sitting, i hope you will feel as amply. Treffert has made appearances on 60 minutes, cbs evening news, the phil donahue show, discovery channel, larry king live, the newshour, the oprah winfrey show, today and in a number of documentaries. Treffert also breaks down the various levels of hyperlexia in order to differentiate autistic like symptoms from autistic spectrum disorder. He has been president of the wisconsin psychiatric association and the american association of psychiatric administrators. Where we have been savant syndrome, with its islands of genius, has a long history. What autism tells us about development of savant skills. Darold has also published two books on savant syndrome and they can be found here and here.
Darold treffert has managed translate his 30 years of scientific research into a moving and awe inspiring tale. Morrow was invited to attend a communications committee. At the 1964 american psychiatric association annual meeting, the case of the calendar calculating identical. He provided the inspiration for the character raymond babbitt in the movie rain man. The junejuly 2006 issue of scientific american mind contains an article on kim peek called inside the mind of a savant. Darold treffert talks about savant syndrome, myths about autism, pattern recognition, the support of family members.
In 1962, he joined the staff of winnebago mental health institute where he developed the childadolescent unit. I came across darold trefferts book extraordinary people in a secondhand bookshop decades ago. Included in dr treffert s select list prodigious savants, tammet may well display the widest range of extraordinary abilities found in people who have this rare condition, at least, among those dealt with in. Yet, as the discussant remarked, savant syndrome remains a challenge to our capabilities. He is on the staff at agnesian healthcare and serves on the board of trustees of marian univers ity. All content in this area was uploaded by darold a treffert on jun 09, 2014. Thoughout the book he rather articulately describes. Treffert explores the phenomena of genetic memory instances in which individuals somehow know things they never learned and sudden. The august, 2014 issue of scientific american magazine contains an article by dr. Darold trefferts islands of genius provides a fascinating and richly detailed account of the clinical and. Treffert, a psychiatrist in wisconsin, has done research on autism and savant syndrome.
Darold treffert on scientific american another great overview of three subtypes of hyperlexia. Sep 05, 2008 sometimes the most amazing abilities of the human brain are revealed exactly when things go wrong with it. His work has appeared in numerous publications including time, people, newsweek, usa today and scientific american. To those, like me who are not familiar with the term hyperlexia it is defined by darold treffert in the scientific american as the ability to read early which when it presents itself in children on the autism spectrum as a savant splinter skill as one symptom of an autistic spectrum disorder. A window on savant syndrome closes with the death of kim. Treffert graduatedfromtheuniversityofwisconsin medicalschoolin. Darold treffert met his first savant in 1962 and has been intrigued with those spectacular islands of genius seen in these extraordinary people ever since. Scientific american is the essential guide to the most aweinspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change.
Francis halzen is a professor of physics at the university of wisconsin madison and the principal investigator of the icecube neutrino observatory and earlier this year his name was attached to an incredible discovery and advancement for the field of astrophysics. Treffert was president of the state medical society of wisconsin in 197980 and chairman of the board of directors of that organization from 198187. Discover magazine, mother jones, playboy, scientific american, the. Psychology reader to accompany introductory psychology texts 9780716724162 by scientific american and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. An earlier book on preventive mental health and stress managementmellowing. I interview the worlds foremost expert in savant syndrome, dr. It is difficult enough to make accurate diagnoses of autism or aspergers disorder in real life. Treffert published in scientific american wisconsin. Christensen scientific american volume 293 number 6, p. He is known for his work on rain man 1988, ingenious minds 2010 and the feeling of greatness.
He has over 50 publications in professional journals as well. Nasa tries to figure out reallife rain mans brain world. Christensen have long been fascinated by savantism. Darold treffert savant syndrome, psychedelics, and. He also served as a consultant for the 1988 movie rain man which depicts the life of an autistic savant. Beheard advocate for your profession and your patients.
The magazine scientific american, islands of genius, june 2002 by dr. While as many as one in ten autistic persons have savant abilities, such special skills occur in other cns conditions as well such that approximately 50 % of cases of savant syndrome have autism as the underlying developmental disability. Treffert graduated from the university of wisconsin medical school in 1958, interned in eugene, oregon, and then completed a residency in psychiatry at university hospitals in madison, wisconsin. He also paints portrait after portrait of men and women with whom he has. An article by past society president darold treffert, md, was published on the website for scientific american earlier this month. Identical twins george and charles cannot add or subtract, but they can supply the day of the week for any date from 20,000 b. Treffert is a psychiatrist who specializes in the epidemiology of autism spectrum disorders and savant syndrome.
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