The Prodigy's Cousin

December 15, 2015
An exploration of the quest for a link between high-functioning autistic individuals and child prodigies, co-authored by mother-daughter team Ruthsatz (Psychology/Ohio State Univ.) and journalist Stephens. In 1998, Ruthsatz, then a graduate student, was exploring what makes prodigies tick. Her particular interest was the nature vs. nurture debate. Her hypothesis was that three factors were involved in their success: "general intelligence, practice time and skills specific to a particular field." While meeting a young boy with exceptional musical talent, a chance encounter with his autistic cousin prompted her to wonder what they might have in common. Over time, a picture began to emerge: "extraordinary memories, eagle eyes for detail, and voracious appetites for their chosen subjects." Ruthsatz broadened her inquiry to include autistic children who became outstanding artists, as well as child prodigies with a wide range of talents, including a young gourmet chef. With modest grant money to pursue her research, she was able to include genetic testing in her journey. By the end of 2011, Ruthsatz "had investigated nine prodigies." Admittedly, this is a small sample, but the results were provocative. She discovered that autism was indeed prevalent in the prodigies' families, suggesting a genetic component. In several cases, genetic analysis showed a particular mutation carried by prodigies and their autistic relatives. Aside from the fact that her subjects were not chosen randomly--parents had to be willing for the interview to take place--the autistic children were chosen from the high end of the spectrum. Ruthsatz believes that behavioral therapy for autistic children should positively reinforce their potential talents, as well as social and language skills. The authors do not claim to have definitive answers, but they raise fascinating questions about the extent to which autism confers benefits as well as disabilities. An intriguing exploration of a unique hypothesis with broad implications.

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Starred review from March 1, 2016

Ruthsatz (psychology, Ohio State Univ. at Mansfield) and reporter Stephens have written a fascinating book about the connection between prodigies (commonly defined as a child who has reached professional status in a demanding field before age ten) and children on the autism spectrum. In her studies, Ruthsatz began to notice that many prodigies have relatives with autism. This surprising finding, and the author's continued investigation, led her to the conclusion that the link between autism and talent is almost inevitable. The authors' case studies of such gifted persons point out that some of their abilities--extraordinary attention to detail and tendency toward obsession--are clearly similar to those of people with autism. Scientific research has yet to isolate one particular gene that results in prodigious talent; likewise, there is not a single genetic pathway to autism (thus the saying, "If you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism"). VERDICT Along with intriguing insights into the minds of extraordinarily smart people, this work--like Steve Silberman's NeuroTribes--offers a new and far more positive approach toward autism. It should appeal to parents and educators, as well as fans of the late Oliver Sacks.--Elizabeth Safford, Boxford Town Lib., MA

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