Some people with autism have an exceptional talent for music, math, art or language. What accounts for their extraordinary brains? “It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing,” Rex Lewis-Clack croons, his head joyfully bobbing in time with the Duke Ellington standard.
In a recent study of musical abilities, Dr. Stanutz found that children with autism performed better than typically developing children in musical games that tested their pitch discrimination and music memory.
Yes, people with autism can and do play instruments in bands and ensembles!
Anecdotal evidence has shown that many people on the spectrum are very intelligent and creative with cognitive abilities more than their neurotypical peers. Plus, sensory hypersensitivity and the tendency of people with ASD to focus more intensely on details may lead to them being good in fine arts & other talents.
Different factors are likely to influence music preferences in ASD. Symptom severity, verbal ability, spatial reasoning and age may influence musical taste in ASD, especially in terms of understanding musical content and using music for social bonding.
Pattern thinkers are in some ways, visual thinkers who instead of thinking in distinct images, see patterns in design, math, music and more in their day to day lives.
Autistic listener's felt responses to music is (statistically) normal. Of course there are a diversity of autism phenomena. But in what are called “high-functioning” cases of autism, the musical response, as measured by GSR, was not significantly different from the non-autistic control group.
Memorising and learning information quickly. Thinking and learning in a visual way. Logical thinking ability. May excel (if able) in academic areas such as science, engineering and mathematics as they are technical and logical subjects that do not heavily rely on social interaction.
The starting engine for that talent is an extraordinary eye for detail. For autistic people, there seems to be a different balance between the details and the bigger picture. Autistic people struggle to recognise what other people are thinking intuitively, but this gives them an advantage in avoiding herd mentality.
Savants with autism typically show amazing skill within one or more general ability domains. Mathematical, artistic, musical, spatial and mechanical abilities are most common. Most savants have a single skills but some have been reported to have more than one.
The first (and so far only) study of subjective experiences of music in autistic adults was done by Allen et al., (2009). The authors found that autistic adults most often use music to alter or match their moods and as a therapeutic tool (e.g., to ease emotional pain).
Music therapists say music with a strong beat, simple structure, and easy lyrics do best. According to Autism Connect, songs that may help with autism include: “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles. “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift.
Someone who is considered a savant may be especially skilled in art, math, music, memory recall, or another subject. Savant syndrome is commonly associated with autism but can occur alongside other conditions.
Autism and piano may not seem to go together, but autistic and/or disabled children have amazing musical abilities. I've also seen ADHD kids with undiscovered piano talent. I've had a good deal of experience teaching piano to kids with various levels of ADHD, Autism, Down's, Asperger's syndrome and Dyslexia.
This study interviewed 9 autistic people and found that all had listening difficulties. The loudness of background noises, and the number of people talking, affected their ability to listen, as did other sights, smells, thoughts, and feelings.
Asperger's syndrome is a mild form of autism that can significantly impact the way a person is able to socialize and empathize with others. While the syndrome can prevent people with Asperger's from effectively communicating, it is known that musical ability is associated with this condition.
Autism Prevalence
31% of children with ASD have an intellectual disability (intelligence quotient [IQ] <70), 25% are in the borderline range (IQ 71–85), and 44% have IQ scores in the average to above average range (i.e., IQ >85). Autism affects all ethnic and socioeconomic groups.
A similar 2015 study revealed that takers with autism made a 30% average grade, though some scored greater than 70%. This is a better percentage than on similar tests given to children aged between 6 and 16 years old. About 33% of kids with autism are within the intelligence level of having a disability.
Savant syndrome is a rare, but extraordinary, condition in which persons with serious mental disabilities, including autistic disorder, have some 'island of genius' which stands in marked, incongruous contrast to overall handicap.
About 70% of autistic people have an intellectual disability, which means they have an IQ lower than 70. The remaining 30% have intelligence that ranges from average to gifted. Autism and intelligence are two separate characteristics. A person can be autistic with any level of intelligence.
For instance, autistic people tend to be particularly honest, reliable, and loyal — some of the most important traits for a long-term relationship.
This shows that high scores among musicians on the pitch identification test are associated with high scores on the autism-spectrum quotient. There was no correlation between the MET and the AQ scores, suggesting that musical abilities may not vary with the level of autism traits.
The popular image of a person with autism is a quiet, isolated individual who prefers solitude to social interaction. This is often true, but by no means always the case. While autistic people, by definition, have challenges with social communication, many enjoy social interaction, group activities, and friendships.
People with autism may have one or more sensory sensitivities. They may be hypo – or hypersensitive to certain stimuli. They may be affected by a dog barking but not bothered by loud music. They may find all loud sounds aversive but seek out interesting smells.