The term “savant” is often misused. In recent history, it was combined with the term, “idiot savant.” As such, it was insensitive and …politically incorrect. The combination label was eventually reduced to just one word. Yet, the original term more accurately described the irony of a true savant, which is actually only about one or two percent of the autism population. My daughter, Grace, is not a savant, but keep reading for more details on how the term does relate to her.

A true savant has incredible intellectual prowess in one or a few topics, but may not be able to button his or her shirt, for example, and other typical daily living tasks. Such was the case of savant Kim Peek. Peek and Autism Research Institute founder Bernard Rimland, Ph.D.’s son, artist Mark Rimland, plus Ruth Christ Sullivan’s son, Joseph. Peek, Joseph Sullivan, and Mark Rimland were the three main “models” for actor Dustin Hoffman’s role in the movie “Rain Man.” (Peek and Bernard Rimland are no longer living.)

          And there goes Hollywood and the perception of autism. Thankfully, nearly two decades since Grace’s diagnosis, people don’t automatically equate her with the movie “Rain Man” upon learning she has autism—which was a common assumption turned question back in the late 90s. In fact, when I first suspected my daughter had autism, at age nine months—just a bizarre passing moment of intuition I had when it would have been too early to know in her development and also in the development of our understanding back then—I thought of “Rain Man” as one of the three references I knew about the disorder. The other were sitting isolated in darkened corners, plus head banging. (Although she did have a clever and scary habit of laying down and making sure her head was protected by carpet versus the hardwoods, and proceeding to raise and lower the back of her head onto the floor not so gently when she wanted to protest not getting her way in a period during which she was still nonverbal and not yet diagnosed.)

         So, while most people with autism are not savants, many have savant-like skills. Also, like many parents (and clinicians, scientists, researchers, etc.,) I am fascinated with the enigma of the autistic brain and am continually attempting to understand it, even after all these years. It has been said that Grace’s art ability is savant-like. I share this not as ego-ic pride, but to celebrate her ability and to share my recent realization about some of her technique. First, the reality is that many on the autism spectrum do have savant-like skills. This also melds with the theory of splinter skills, explaining why some individuals can have superior abilities in some areas and very poor in others. Sounds like most us, right? But, I am referring to basic academic areas addressed in the school system.The collaged photographs, above, are of pieces she created with markers or color pencils, and illustrate something I’ve been seeing her do for nearly 20 years. Composition and, as seen here, a keen sense of color, were abilities discovered in her art from the very beginning of her recognized creative process at age four. In her down time, she will begin with the same set of markers or pencils or crayons to which anyone of us may have access. Yet, repeatedly, she rapidly, and often forcibly—bearing down with great pressure—creates this incredible array of color, that changes with each piece. How in the world does she select these colors from an ordinary supply of media and put them together in such a beautiful, mesmerizing combination? And then it occurred to me: this is her savant skill….

         You see, individuals with autism do not see the world like you or I. Every sense, including the sixth, is heightened. On edge. Often over the edge, and hence, the difficulty with those on the more severe end, like Grace, in assimilating into our everyday noisy, cluttered visual-audio-overwhelming sensory-screaming environments.

          So what do you do?

          Accomodate. Acclimate. Teach. Soothe. And, most importantly?

          Celebrate.

          Celebrate every individual on the spectrum, because just like you. and me. We all have a purpose and an offering in this world by our very presence. Some gifts are obvious. Some, not so much. It may be art. It may be math. It may be a never-ending smile. Or, the gift to teach us service, patience, unconditional love, and devotion.

          It requires:

          An open heart. A well of compassion. A willingness to journey into a lifetime of learning.

          Gear up.

          Let’s continue forward!

          These “doodles” were created mostly around the kitchen table, on the backs of junk mail, and scrap pieces of cardboard. You can see where her deep-pressure technique, which is soothing to her, created a tear in the upper left image. For those new to Grace’s art, works on canvas and quality paper, created in studio, can be seen at Grace Goad | Autism Art, and her old website, GraceGoad.com, which is still up but being recreated at snail’s pace.