Hypercalculia

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Hypercalculia is "a specific developmental condition in which the ability to perform mathematical calculations is significantly superior to general learning ability and to school attainment in maths." [1] A 2002 neuroimaging study of a child with hypercalculia suggested greater brain volume in the right temporal lobe. Serial SPECT scans revealed hyperperfusion over right parietal areas during performance of arithmetic tasks. [2]

Contents

Math and reading achievement profiles in autistic individuals

Children at any age may be stronger in language or in mathematics, but very rarely in both. Autistic children are no different. A rare example of a child with multiple savant tendencies is a case study of a thirteen-year-old girl. Pacheva, Panoy, Gillberg, and Neville discovered this individual has not only hypercalculia abilities, but also showcases hyperlexia, and hypermnesia capabilities. [3]

A study published in 2014 examined the reading and math achievement profiles and their changes over time within a sample of children between the ages 6–9 diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. What they found was that there are four distinct achievement profiles: higher-achieving (39%), hyperlexia (9%), hypercalculia (20%) and lower-achieving (32%). [4] A previous study conducted in 2009 estimated the rate of hypercalculia at 16.2% in ASD adolescents. [5] [6]

According to Wei, Christiano, Yu, Wagner, and Spiker, research of the ASD achievement profile, hypercalculia, is sometimes overlooked in academic settings. Sometimes this oversight is a result of more resources being spent on understanding the capabilities of children who exhibit hyperlexia. Children with an ASD have shown various results during testing for hypercalculia. Some of these varied results indicate: below average performance of mathematical and problem solving tasks, average proficiency, and high-achievers topping the 99th percentile on 'standardized math achievement measures.' [4]

There is an ongoing debate concerning the cause of hypercalculia along with other savant perceptions. Some researchers theorize that obsessive tendencies may trigger greater attention to certain areas of their lives. [2]

Individuals with autism will sometimes focus a lot of their time, energy, and attention on schedules or routines, calendar calculations, numbers or counting, and/or music. [7]

Other researchers speculate that people with savant tendencies may use different brain areas while they are processing subjects of their higher abilities. Among other debate arguments are hypotheses with regards to neural processes and working memory storage capabilities. [2]

Wallace sometimes refers to these individuals as "mathematical savants" or "arithmetic savants." In his experience, individuals with this ability tend to prefer a chunking or segmentation method of sorts. Their proclivities tend to push them towards breaking bigger things down to smaller things like numbers or equations. This data led Wallace to research, "prime number savants." Prime number savants can calculate which numbers are prime by breaking up the number over and over numerous times until they are at its lowest form.[ clarification needed ] The next step is figuring out if that number can be evenly divided. [8]

Behavioral research of children with higher-achieving intellectual abilities

There are five different types of disorders that have been labeled on the autism spectrum. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), the five different types of disorders on the autism spectrum are listed as: Autistic disorder, Asperger disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, Rett disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder - not otherwise specified (PPD-NOS). [9]

In a 2013 study, the behavior of children on the autism spectrum who exhibited intellectual abilities was observed. The behavior of these children was compared to children of normal intellectual status. Research shows that these children tended to internalize their problems. Further investigation proffers the suggestion that this internalization is due to social and language impairments. Many children on the autism spectrum with different savant perceptions such as hypercalculia, hyperlexia, and semantic hypermnesia tended to internalize their problems. These children were more likely to experience anxiety, low self-esteem, perfectionism and struggles in their social life. These social issues stem from withdrawal in social circumstances and an unwillingness to share. A lot of these children that were observed fell into two types of disorders on the spectrum, PPD and Asperger syndrome. The results show that there is little difference in the behavior of children considered to be high-achieving in their intellectual abilities and those children not as intellectually gifted. [10]

Education of children with savant abilities

Towards the end of the twentieth century, recognition of autistic children, including autistic children with savant abilities, has increased awareness in the educational system. [11]

There are just a few main names for savant children. The first category of savants was first discovered in London in 1887 by Dr. J. Langdon Down. Down coined the term 'idiot savant.' This term is given to individuals who have an IQ score below 25. These individuals show below average intelligence in most areas, but still show gifted expertise among such areas as music, arithmetic, reading, writing, or art to name a few. Idiot savant is no longer an acceptable name of categorization. It is not used very much anymore and was mainly discontinued after the first century of its discovery. Almost all individuals diagnosed with savant aptitudes test with an IQ of 40 or above. [12]

The second name often used for these children is 'autistic savant.' Just like Down's term, autistic savant is not always appropriate for all savant cases. Only half of individuals with savant syndrome are autistic. The other half of the savant population suffer from other central nervous system deficiencies caused by injuries or other disorders. [12]

Savant syndrome is the more overarching and accurate name to identify children with these higher-cognition skills. [12]

Awareness of savant syndrome has increased, but the limited number of affected individuals has complicated finding educational resources to meet their needs. Better diagnostic tools over the years has helped identify these children and their needs. For the benefit of the students, educators should keep in mind that although these children are skilled in certain areas and may even take courses for the gifted, they may come across as rude and perhaps disrespectful. These behaviors might be shown to classmates and teachers because these students will not always be adept at communication and social cues. [11]

Other concepts to consider in the educational system are the child's weaknesses and strengths. These will be unique to each child. In some examples of children with mathematical savant talents, individual children can be exhibit human calculator abilities, but be unable to use those skills in every day functions. There is sometimes a disconnection between their savant abilities and practical situations. [11]  

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asperger syndrome</span> Formerly recognized neurodevelopmental condition

Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger's syndrome or Asperger's, is a diagnosis formerly used to describe a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, along with restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. Asperger syndrome has been merged with other conditions into autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and is no longer considered a diagnosis. It was considered milder than other diagnoses which were merged into ASD due to relatively unimpaired spoken language and intelligence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hyperlexia</span> Significantly advanced reading ability in children

Hyperlexia is a syndrome characterized by a child's precocious ability to read. It was initially identified by Norman E. Silberberg and Margaret C. Silberberg (1967), who defined it as the precocious ability to read words without prior training in learning to read, typically before the age of five. They indicated that children with hyperlexia have a significantly higher word-decoding ability than their reading comprehension levels. Children with hyperlexia also present with an intense fascination for written material at a very early age.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Savant syndrome</span> Rare condition involving outstanding mental abilities despite overall mental disability

Savant syndrome is a phenomenon where someone demonstrates exceptional aptitude in one domain, such as art or mathematics, despite significant social or intellectual impairment.

Developmental disorders comprise a group of psychiatric conditions originating in childhood that involve serious impairment in different areas. There are several ways of using this term. The most narrow concept is used in the category "Specific Disorders of Psychological Development" in the ICD-10. These disorders comprise developmental language disorder, learning disorders, developmental coordination disorders, and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). In broader definitions, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is included, and the term used is neurodevelopmental disorders. Yet others include antisocial behavior and schizophrenia that begins in childhood and continues through life. However, these two latter conditions are not as stable as the other developmental disorders, and there is not the same evidence of a shared genetic liability.

Diagnoses of autism have become more frequent since the 1980s, which has led to various controversies about both the cause of autism and the nature of the diagnoses themselves. Whether autism has mainly a genetic or developmental cause, and the degree of coincidence between autism and intellectual disability, are all matters of current scientific controversy as well as inquiry. There is also more sociopolitical debate as to whether autism should be considered a disability on its own.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conditions comorbid to autism</span> Medical conditions more common in autistic people

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that begins in early childhood, persists throughout adulthood, and affects two crucial areas of development: social communication and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior. There are many conditions comorbid to autism spectrum disorder, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety disorders, and epilepsy.

High-functioning autism (HFA) was historically an autism classification to describe a person who exhibited no intellectual disability but had some difficulty in communication, emotion recognition, expression, and/or social interaction. However, many in medical and autistic communities have called to stop using the term, finding it simplistic and unindicative of the difficulties some autistic people face.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to autism:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Autism therapies</span> Therapy aimed at autistic people

Autism therapies include a wide variety of therapies that help people with autism, or their families. Such methods of therapy seek to aid autistic people in dealing with difficulties and increase their functional independence.

Social Stories were devised as a tool to help autistic individuals better understand the nuances of interpersonal communication so that they could "interact in an effective and appropriate manner". Although the prescribed format was meant for high functioning people with basic communication skills, the format was adapted substantially to suit individuals with poor communication skills and low level functioning. The evidence shows that there has been minimal improvement in social interaction skills. However, it is difficult to assess whether the concept would have been successful if it had been carried out as designed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Societal and cultural aspects of autism</span>

Societal and cultural aspects of autism or sociology of autism come into play with recognition of autism, approaches to its support services and therapies, and how autism affects the definition of personhood. The autistic community is divided primarily into two camps; the autism rights movement and the pathology paradigm. The pathology paradigm advocates for supporting research into therapies, treatments, and/or a cure to help minimize or remove autistic traits, seeing treatment as vital to help individuals with autism, while the neurodiversity movement believes autism should be seen as a different way of being and advocates against a cure and interventions that focus on normalization, seeing it as trying to exterminate autistic people and their individuality. Both are controversial in autism communities and advocacy which has led to significant infighting between these two camps. While the dominant paradigm is the pathology paradigm and is followed largely by autism research and scientific communities, the neurodiversity movement is highly popular among most autistic people, within autism advocacy, autism rights organizations, and related neurodiversity approaches have been rapidly growing and applied in the autism research field in the last few years.

Asperger syndrome (AS) was formerly a separate diagnosis under autism spectrum disorder. Under the DSM-5 and ICD-11, patients formerly diagnosable with Asperger syndrome are diagnosable with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The term is considered offensive by some autistic individuals. It was named after Hans Asperger (1906–80), who was an Austrian psychiatrist and pediatrician. An English psychiatrist, Lorna Wing, popularized the term "Asperger's syndrome" in a 1981 publication; the first book in English on Asperger syndrome was written by Uta Frith in 1991 and the condition was subsequently recognized in formal diagnostic manuals later in the 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Classic autism</span> Former neurodevelopmental disorder now classified under autism spectrum disorder

Classic autism, also known as childhood autism, autistic disorder, (early) infantile autism, infantile psychosis, Kanner's autism, Kanner's syndrome, or (formerly) just autism, is a neurodevelopmental condition first described by Leo Kanner in 1943. It is characterized by atypical and impaired development in social interaction and communication as well as restricted, repetitive behaviors, activities, and interests. These symptoms first appear in early childhood and persist throughout life.

Autism, also called autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by symptoms of deficient reciprocal social communication and the presence of restricted, repetitive, and inflexible patterns of behavior. Autism generally affects a person's ability to understand and connect with others, as well as their adaptability to everyday situations, with its severity and support needs varying widely across the spectrum. For example, some are nonspeaking, while others have very proficient spoken language.

The relationship between autism and memory, specifically memory functions in relation to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is an ongoing topic of research. ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by social communication and interaction impairments, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior. In this article, the word autism is used to refer to the whole range of conditions on the autism spectrum, which are not uncommon.

The opioid excess theory is a theory which postulates that autism is the result of a metabolic disorder in which opioid peptides produced through metabolism of gluten and casein pass through an abnormally permeable intestinal membrane and then proceed to exert an effect on neurotransmission through binding with opioid receptors. It is believed by advocates of this hypothesis that autistic children are unusually sensitive to gluten, which results in small bowel inflammation in these children, which in turn allows these opioid peptides to enter the brain.

Sex and gender differences in autism exist regarding prevalence, presentation, and diagnosis.

Nonverbal autism, also called nonspeaking autism, is a subset of autism spectrum disorder where the person does not learn how to speak. One study has shown that 64% of autistic children who are nonverbal at age 5 are still nonverbal 10 years later.

Social (pragmatic) communication disorder (SPCD), also known as pragmatic language impairment (PLI), is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in the social use of verbal and nonverbal communication. Individuals who are defined by the acronym "SPCD" struggle to effectively indulge in social interactions, interpret social cues, and may struggle to use words appropriately in social contexts.

The diagnosis of autism is based on a person's reported and directly observed behavior. There are no known biomarkers for autism spectrum conditions that allow for a conclusive diagnosis.

References

  1. ↑ Boucher, Jill M. (2017). Autism Spectrum Disorder. Characteristics, Causes and Practical Issues. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE. p.  284. ISBN   978-1-47398699-2.
  2. 1 2 3 González-Garrido; Andrés Antonio; et al. (November–December 2002). "Hypercalculia in savant syndrome: central executive failure?". Archives of Medical Research. 33 (6). Elsevier: 586–589. doi:10.1016/S0188-4409(02)00404-6. PMID   12505107.
  3. ↑ Pacheva, Iliyana; Panov, Georgi; Gillberg, Christopher; Neville, Brian (2014). "A Girl with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Presenting with Severe Epilepsy and Electrical Status Epilepticus During Sleep, and with High-Functioning Autism and Mutism". Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology . 27 (2): 88–95. doi:10.1097/WNN.0000000000000026. ISSN   1543-3633. PMID   24968009.
  4. 1 2 Wei, Xin; Christiano, Elizabeth RA; Yu, Jennifer W.; Wagner, Mary; Spiker, Donna (February 1, 2015) [January 21, 2014]. "Reading and math achievement profiles and longitudinal growth trajectories of children with an autism spectrum disorder". Autism . 19 (2). SAGE: 200–210. doi:10.1177/1362361313516549. PMID   24449604. S2CID   3287820.
  5. ↑ Jones, Catherine R. G.; Happé, Francesca; Golden, Hannah; Marsden, Anita J. S.; Tregay, Jenifer; Simonoff, Emily; Pickles, Andrew; Baird, Gillian; Charman, Tony (November 2009). "Reading and arithmetic in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders: Peaks and dips in attainment" (PDF). Neuropsychology . 23 (6). American Psychological Association: 718–728. doi:10.1037/a0016360. PMID   19899830.
  6. ↑ Dilly, Laura J.; Hall, Christine M. (2018). "Early Numeracy and Math Calculation". Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessment in Schools. Abingdon-on-Thames: Routledge. ISBN   978-1-35124243-1.
  7. ↑ Allman, Melissa J.; Pelphrey, Kevin A.; Meck, Warren H. (2012). "Developmental neuroscience of time and number: implications for autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities". Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience . 6: 7. doi: 10.3389/fnint.2012.00007 . ISSN   1662-5145. PMC   3294544 . PMID   22408612.
  8. ↑ Wallace, Gregory L. (October 14, 2008). "Neuropsychological Studies of Savant Skills: Can They Inform the Neuroscience of Giftedness?". Roeper Review. 30 (4): 229–246. doi:10.1080/02783190802363901. ISSN   0278-3193. S2CID   50859311.
  9. ↑ Faras Hadeel; Al Ateeqi Nahed; Tidmarsh Lee (July 1, 2010). "Autism spectrum disorders". Annals of Saudi Medicine . 30 (4): 295–300. doi: 10.4103/0256-4947.65261 . PMC   2931781 . PMID   20622347.
  10. ↑ Guénolé, Fabian; Louis, Jacqueline; Creveuil, Christian; Baleyte, Jean-Marc; Montlahuc, Claire; Fourneret, Pierre; Revol, Olivier (July 10, 2013). "Behavioral Profiles of Clinically Referred Children with Intellectual Giftedness". BioMed Research International . 2013: 540153. doi: 10.1155/2013/540153 . PMC   3722901 . PMID   23956988.
  11. 1 2 3 Donnelly, Julie A.; Altman, Reuben (1994). "The autistic savant: Recognizing and serving the gifted child with autism". Roeper Review. 16 (4): 252–256. doi:10.1080/02783199409553591.
  12. 1 2 3 Treffert, Darold A. (May 27, 2009). "The savant syndrome: an extraordinary condition. A synopsis: past, present, future". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences . 364 (1522): 1351–1357. doi:10.1098/rstb.2008.0326. PMC   2677584 . PMID   19528017.

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