Williams Syndrome

[ciphergoth]

Alex Biescar is a good example. Even at the age of three he hadn't uttered a single word, not even mama or dada. Then one day he happened to be at his speech pathologist's office, waiting in the reception area. A whirring floor fan caught his attention, and since Alex shares a common Williams fascination with spinning things, he approached the fan and began staring at it. Concerned that he might stick his fingers into the fan, the receptionist switched it off. Alex switched it back on. She unplugged it. Alex plugged it back in. Next she switched it off and unplugged it. Alex solved this problem as well. Just then, however, there was a power failure. Alex flipped the fan's switch a couple of times and nothing happened. He wiggled the plug and nothing happened. Frustrated, he uttered the first words of his life: "Jesus Christ, this doesn't work!"

-- Different Minds, Discover magazine, June 1991. (propogated from dennyd)

Williams syndrome in Wikipedia.

Comments

[the-maenad.livejournal.com]

This is very reminiscent of the tale often told about the poet Macaulay who is supposed not to have spoken a word until he tripped and fell in front of a lady who didn't know of him or his supposed muteness. "Are you all right, my dear?" she asked, and he answered "Thank you, Madam, the agony is somewhat abated."

[aster13.livejournal.com]

That surely can't be literally true?!

[ludy]

why not? I've heard/read similar stuff about other kids with disabilities (mostly autism where echollalia is quite commen) - although they are usually less geeky!

[ex-pipistre.livejournal.com]

I didn't speak at all until I was relatively old (2 1/2?). I fell down some stairs and then ran to my mum and went 'Oops! I just fell down the stairs!'. Appaently she was a little taken aback.