Einstein Syndrome: Characteristics, Symptoms And How It Affects Children
We understand by Einstein syndrome a delay in the appearance of speech; When it occurs, the boy or girl does not meet the evolutionary milestones that he or she should have achieved according to his or her age.
This delay in speech or the slower maturation process is not a marker of pathology, since in children with Einstein syndrome we observe high intellectual abilities, especially analytical and creative thinking. Likewise, they also show good motor skills, a high memory capacity and restricted interests, which refer to having a great interest in some topics.
Thus, this syndrome does not appear in any diagnostic manual, and it is necessary to continue researching and studying to learn more about it. But it has been seen as useful as a differential diagnosis of autism, thus preventing children with slower language development from being wrongly classified as autistic.
In this article we will see what is Einstein syndrome and what are its defining characteristics and symptoms.
Einstein syndrome is defined as a delay in the onset of speech. The boys and girls who develop it they do not speak or do so incompletely when due to age they should have this more developed skill
In general terms, it has been established as a criterion that children should already express phrases or expressions of a single word per year, a period known as holophrasic; At 2 years old they should be able to combine the first words, from two or more words (this fact is known as telegraphic speech); At 3 years old there is an increase in vocabulary; and at 4 years old the child’s vocabulary is already similar to that of the adult.
We see how they are quite specific periods, but not all children fulfill them in the same way. It has been observed that 15% of the population develops language late Among them are children with Einstein syndrome, who, as we have already noted, will begin to speak later, but once the skill is acquired they will not suffer impairments or alterations that indicate a delay in the beginning. Likewise, it is also observed that they are subjects who are advanced in other areas, especially in analytical and creative thinking.
This syndrome was described and named by the American economist Thomas Sowell, with the main function of distinguishing subjects with delay in the onset of speech and children with a diagnosis of autism. Currently we know that a symptom of autism can be a delay in the appearance of language, but this symptom is not specific or determining of this condition; Delay may be observed, but the other criteria for making a diagnosis of autism will not always be met.
If we look at the name of the syndrome we see that this honors the well-known and important 20th century scientist Albert Einstein This fact is due to the fact that Einstein began to speak late, he did not formulate a complete sentence until he was 5 years old, but this later development of this ability did not prevent his intellectual abilities from progressing adequately and he became a genius.
Defining symptoms of Einstein syndrome
As we have seen, the term “Einstein syndrome was coined by Sowell.” Sowell later joined Stephen Camarata to develop research into what characteristics were typical of people with this syndrome. We know the main criterion is that the child does not present normal progress in the appearance of speech, but There are other symptoms that can indicate that you actually suffer from this syndrome
Some of these characteristics are: notable capabilities in analytical or musical skills, with a mastery of technologies beyond their age; large memory capacity; great stubbornness (it is difficult to convince these people to do something they do not want to do); selective interests, especially related to music or creativity; delay in the ability to control urination and go to the toilet; When they are interested in something, they focus their attention completely on it; They show difficulties in verbal communication in the early years, acquiring the appropriate construction of a sentence no earlier than 4 years of age and have good development of motor skills. In addition, they often have relatives with high analytical or musical skills;
The diagnosis
It is normal that as parents we are aware of how our child is developing, worrying if we see that he or she does not meet the milestones set at each age. Our mind begins to imagine the worst situations, thinking that he may have a serious problem, an intellectual disability or autism. But other conditions are known that also cause language delay.
Einstein syndrome does not appear as a disorder in any diagnostic manual, since it has been observed that its defining characteristics are not determinants of this disorder; that is to say, There are characteristics of this syndrome that are also present in subjects without pathology, and not all subjects with this syndrome have superior intellectual abilities Therefore, it will be necessary to continue researching this pathology because currently the information we have about it is scarce.
But the diagnosis of this condition does help us differentiate and not make an early diagnosis of autism spectrum syndrome. If we look at the criteria described in the previous section we see that some coincide or can also be present in autistic disorder, such as the main symptom of speech delay or restricted interests.
It is for this reason that the two authors defined Einstein syndrome to reduce overdiagnosis or misdiagnosis of autism We must keep in mind that placing someone in a category, labeling them, entails a series of effects such as the need for treatment or different treatment, for example, at school. Therefore, it is important that before classifying a subject within a category, of a disorder, we make sure that it really meets the criteria.
But autism is not the only diagnosis similar to this condition. There is a disorder in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic Manual of the American Psychiatric Association, called language disorder who also presents alterations in expressive and comprehensive language, although this tends to last and not improve as happens with children with Einstein syndrome.
As we have said, not all children develop the same and this does not mean that they have a disorder, nor do all subjects with pathologies have the same characteristics, thus making assigning a diagnosis at an early age difficult, since the little ones still have to develop and we do not know with certainty what this process will be like.
Likewise, it is essential to take into account the most common warning signs or milestones that children show at each age, but always keeping in mind that these are not determinants or direct causes of a disability or serious mental health problem. If we have doubts about whether our child may have some type of affectation, it is best to consult with a professional to rule out possible pathologies and if a problem is detected, to be able to intervene and treat as soon as possible, since in this way we prevent them from evolving into more serious alterations.
Once the diagnosis has been made and all the possible pathologies that may be linked to the symptoms shown by the child have been assessed, the most appropriate treatment adapted to the individual subject is established and prescribed. We try to make the intervention as personalized as possible, since each individual is different, with different difficulties, abilities and environments.
Thus, The most characteristic difficulties of each subject are assessed in order to treat them For example, we look at whether the language problem is only expressive (this means that it presents alterations in its mode of expression with a reduced vocabulary extension and without formulating sentences completely), or if it also shows impairments in comprehension.
If understanding is altered, it is understood that expression will also be affected and, therefore, the alteration will be more serious and will require another type of treatment. These subjects, apart from a difficulty in speech, also have problems understanding what they are told, to understand the information they receive.
In short, we understand Einstein syndrome as a way of categorizing subjects with speech difficulties, but who often end up developing high abilities and important achievements, always keeping in mind that it is not defined as a medical condition nor is it known with certainty. For sure, what influence does it receive from the environment and what percentage does the genes represent. It is also worth remembering that each child has different maturation and development times, this being a completely normal fact, without the need to be alarmed about it.
