: While most cases are congenital (present from birth), some individuals acquire savant-like skills later in life following a head injury, stroke, or central nervous system incident. autism-101.com +5 Notable Examples of Autistic Savants Daniel Tammet : Known for his mathematical and linguistic abilities; he famously recited pi to 22,514 decimal places. Stephen Wiltshire : An artist capable of drawing complex cityscapes in extreme detail after just a brief helicopter ride. Kim Peek : The inspiration for
The term originates from the French word for "to know" or "learned man". In the context of autism, it refers to individuals who possess specialized cognitive strengths that often exceed the norms of the general population. savant autisme