--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Savant syndrome is not a disorder in the…" description: "\"Savant syndrome is not a disorder in the same way as autism is a disorder or dementia is a disorder. Savant syndrome are some conditions that are super..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/darold-treffert-20114_autism_savant-syndrome-is-not-a-disorder-in-the_2168368.jpg" --- # Savant syndrome is not a disorder in the same way as… ![“Savant syndrome is not a disorder in the same way as autism is a disorder or dementia is a disorder. Savant syndrome are some conditions that are superimposed and grafted on to some underlying disability. So savant syndrome is not a disease or disorder in and of itself. It is a collection of…” quote by Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/darold-treffert-20114_autism_savant-syndrome-is-not-a-disorder-in-the_2168368.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/darold-treffert-20114_autism_savant-syndrome-is-not-a-disorder-in-the_2168368.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/darold-treffert-20114_autism_savant-syndrome-is-not-a-disorder-in-the_2168368.jpg) > “Savant syndrome is not a disorder in the same way as autism is a disorder or dementia is a disorder. Savant syndrome are some conditions that are superimposed and grafted on to some underlying disability. So savant syndrome is not a disease or disorder in and of itself. It is a collection of characteristics, or symptoms, or behaviors that have grafted on to the underlying disability.” [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Savant syndrome adds extraordinary abilities on top of an existing disability, not a separate disease. **In simple terms:** Extra abilities on top of a disability. Key Takeaway Understand savant traits as extensions, not standalone disorders. Themes psychology neurodiversity ability Mood empathetic inquisitive Type educational clinical When to use this quote - education planning - clinical assessment - family support - advocacy Key Concepts cognitive overlay neurodevelopment exceptional talent Questions to Reflect On - How can support address both disability and savant abilities? - What ethical considerations arise in enhancing savant skills? A Different Perspective Treating it as a disease may overlook underlying needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Autism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autism/) [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Dementia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dementia/) [Disability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disability/) [Disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disease/) [Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/savant/) [Syndromes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/syndromes/) ## Related quotes > [Savant syndrome and autism, I think, are not disorders of brain structure, but they're disorders of brain function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/savant-syndrome-and-autism-i-think-are-not-disorders-of-brain/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [Savant syndrome, characteristically, consists of left hemisphere dysfunction coupled with right hemisphere emergence, and what you see in the savant are basically right brain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/savant-syndrome-characteristically-consists-of-left-hemisphere/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [The ways in which acquired savants show up are usually the same ways that congenital, or non-acquired, savant syndrome shows up. They tend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/the-ways-in-which-acquired-savants-show-up-are-usually-the-same-ways/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [Not everyone who has a savant skill I would equate with a genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/not-everyone-who-has-a-savant-skill-i-would-equate-with-a-genius/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [When I met my first savant in 1962, I was impressed by the abilities in these youngsters who had severe disabilities. They appeared to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/when-i-met-my-first-savant-in-1962-i-was-impressed-by-the-abilities/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [A savant, by definition, is somebody who has a disability and, along with that disability, has some remarkable ability. Prodigies and geniuses have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/a-savant-by-definition-is-somebody-who-has-a-disability-and-along/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [Your modest savant smiles as he says to his admirers: What have I done? Nothing. Man does not invent a force, he directs it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/your-modest-savant-smiles-as-he-says-to-his-admirers-what-have-i-done/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [I'm not sure I'm the only savant with high IQ or with an above average IQ. Again, it may just be that we don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-tammet/i-m-not-sure-i-m-the-only-savant-with-high-iq-or-with-an-above/) [Daniel Tammet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-tammet/) > [I used to be treated like an idiot, now I'm treated like an idiot savant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-cruz-smith/i-used-to-be-treated-like-an-idiot-now-i-m-treated-like-an-idiot/) [Martin Cruz Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-cruz-smith/) > [There is a small segment of people with autism that have savant skills, where they can memorize entire maps of whole entire city. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/there-is-a-small-segment-of-people-with-autism-that-have-savant/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [With respect to why some acquired savants are musical, and some are good at the arts, and some are mathematical, why aren't they all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/with-respect-to-why-some-acquired-savants-are-musical-and-some-are/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [The term syndrome generally appears to be a constellation, or collection, of similar traits or behaviors within an individual. So, savants do have sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/the-term-syndrome-generally-appears-to-be-a-constellation-or/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [There are some cases that have come to my attention where there's been a head injury, or getting struck by lightning and surviving, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/there-are-some-cases-that-have-come-to-my-attention-where-there-s/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [There are people at the extremes who aren't able to do anything musically, and then others sort of fall in the middle. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/there-are-people-at-the-extremes-who-aren-t-able-to-do-anything/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [“There's no difference between a madman and a professor...it should be clear to you in the way they dress, act and think.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/there-s-no-difference-between-a-madman-and-a-professor-it-should-be/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) ## More by Darold Treffert > [The ways in which acquired savants show up are usually the same ways that congenital, or non-acquired, savant syndrome shows up. They tend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/the-ways-in-which-acquired-savants-show-up-are-usually-the-same-ways/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [Not only when one does meditation one is getting into a different realm, cognitively, but if you look at the imaging that's done on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/not-only-when-one-does-meditation-one-is-getting-into-a-different/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [When I met my first savant in 1962, I was impressed by the abilities in these youngsters who had severe disabilities. They appeared to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/when-i-met-my-first-savant-in-1962-i-was-impressed-by-the-abilities/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [I have a fairly strict definition of early infantile autism. That is not to say that people who don't meet that classic description don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/i-have-a-fairly-strict-definition-of-early-infantile-autism-that-is/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [What happens is most of us are so busy in our lives with our families and our vocation which we should be, but we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/what-happens-is-most-of-us-are-so-busy-in-our-lives-with-our-families/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [With respect to why some acquired savants are musical, and some are good at the arts, and some are mathematical, why aren't they all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/with-respect-to-why-some-acquired-savants-are-musical-and-some-are/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [Savant syndrome and autism, I think, are not disorders of brain structure, but they're disorders of brain function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/savant-syndrome-and-autism-i-think-are-not-disorders-of-brain/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [Savant syndrome, characteristically, consists of left hemisphere dysfunction coupled with right hemisphere emergence, and what you see in the savant are basically right brain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/savant-syndrome-characteristically-consists-of-left-hemisphere/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [I think one of the problems with the definition of autism is we keep expanding it. It started as "early infantile autism", and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/i-think-one-of-the-problems-with-the-definition-of-autism-is-we-keep/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right names in research.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/the-beginning-of-wisdom-is-to-call-things-by-their-right-names-in/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [We should probably start searching around a little earlier in our lives for what I call parallel activities, because most of us get entrenched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/we-should-probably-start-searching-around-a-little-earlier-in-our/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [Sometimes along the way, when people are actively working, they will start to do a search for their roots and maybe get really interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/sometimes-along-the-way-when-people-are-actively-working-they-will/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [To some extent, we all have quirks or idiosyncrasies, and some geniuses, because of how bright they are and how focused they are, may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/to-some-extent-we-all-have-quirks-or-idiosyncrasies-and-some-geniuses/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [When we come to research, if we want to find out the cause of autism, we're going to have to be much more specific,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/when-we-come-to-research-if-we-want-to-find-out-the-cause-of-autism/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [When you first try to learn to ride a bike, you work very carefully at keeping your balance, and trying to keep one pedal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/when-you-first-try-to-learn-to-ride-a-bike-you-work-very-carefully-at/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) [Explore all 31 Darold Treffert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) ## More Autism quotes > [“We know that children with autism like order, that they are often very visual and that they can be quite literal. They deserve beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adele-devine/we-know-that-children-with-autism-like-order-that-they-are-often-very/) [Adele Devine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adele-devine/) > [In fact, when we as neuro-typical people encounter a person with autism spectrum syndrome who's always been that way it is that we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/in-fact-when-we-as-neuro-typical-people-encounter-a-person-with/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) > [If you give us a safe vaccine, we'll use it. It shouldn't be polio versus autism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-mccarthy/if-you-give-us-a-safe-vaccine-we-ll-use-it-it-shouldn-t-be-polio/) [Jenny McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-mccarthy/) > [Autism is a big continuum, going from someone who remains nonverbal, all the way up to geniuses on Silicon Valley. And some kids are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/autism-is-a-big-continuum-going-from-someone-who-remains-nonverbal/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Metaphor isn't just a fancy turn of speech. It shapes our thoughts and feelings, reaches out to grasp new experience, and even binds our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-richardson/metaphor-isn-t-just-a-fancy-turn-of-speech-it-shapes-our-thoughts-and/) [James Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-richardson/) > [The position of Autism Speaks has been for quite awhile that we need to find out what's happening. We know there's a genetic component,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-emken/the-position-of-autism-speaks-has-been-for-quite-awhile-that-we-need/) [Elizabeth Emken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-emken/) > [Some people with autism who don't talk, all they hear are vowel sounds. Like if I said 'cup,' they might just hear 'uh.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/some-people-with-autism-who-don-t-talk-all-they-hear-are-vowel-sounds/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/children-must-be-taught-how-to-think-not-what-to-think/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Mild autism can give you a genius like Einstein. If you have severe autism, you could remain nonverbal. You don't want people to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/mild-autism-can-give-you-a-genius-like-einstein-if-you-have-severe/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [“The autistic mind is not the wave at the surface of the ocean, but the whole world that exists below.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krissy-bells/the-autistic-mind-is-not-the-wave-at-the-surface-of-the-ocean-but-the/) Krissy Bells > [In the person with autism, the brain may already be seeing the part and be less distracted by the whole, and in the person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-baron-cohen/in-the-person-with-autism-the-brain-may-already-be-seeing-the-part/) [Simon Baron-Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-baron-cohen/) > [I think that the definition of autism is too broad. 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Self-diagnosed autistics and fakers were asking diagnosed autistics whether or not they had a diagnosis, and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/unfortunately-by-this-time-it-didn-t-matter-self-diagnosed-autistics/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) [Browse all 621 Autism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Savant syndrome is not a disorder in the same way as autism is a disorder or dementia is a disorder. Savant syndrome are some conditions that are superimposed and grafted on to some underlying disability. So savant syndrome is not a disease or disorder in and of itself. 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