00:00Last month, a 12-year-old child prodigy became University of Malaya's youngest undergraduate,
00:08set to study for a bachelor's degree in mathematics.
00:11Isimil Sharum's mother said he has mild autism, hyperlexia, and a keen interest in
00:17numbers since the age of three.
00:19Charlene Marie Samuel, founder of Autism Behavioral Center, described autism as a neurodevelopmental
00:25disorder characterized by challenges in social interaction.
00:30On the other hand, savantism refers to a rare condition in which a person with a developmental
00:35disorder, including autism, demonstrates extraordinary abilities or talents in specific areas.
00:41Samuel said while autism is a broad neurodevelopmental framework, savantism is a specific subset
00:47of abilities that can occur among individuals on the autism spectrum.
00:51Pediatrician Dr. Shah Narayanan said children like Isimil, who are exceptional but struggle
00:57with communication, will need a combination of therapies.
01:00He said neurodiverse kids can benefit from five main therapies – speech therapy, occupational
01:06therapy, individualized education plans, social skills training, and specialized mentorship.
01:12Samuel also called for peer education to improve interactions between neurodiverse children
01:17and their classmates.
01:20Dhanush Rajareza, FMT News.
Comments