Einstein Syndrome

Einstein syndrome is a term that describes a wide range of symptoms in children. This term was coined by an Economist known as Thomas Sowell in his book Late-Talking children which was published in 1997. Einstein syndrome is appropriate to children who are late talkers but possess other exceptional qualities.

The syndrome is named after Albeit Einstein who exhibited similar characteristics of talking late but with other great qualities.

Children with Einstein syndrome do not have problem with language but they talk late as compared to their peers. It is believed that children with this syndrome have a particular area in their brain which develops quickly as a result the part that controls language and speech is affected.

Signs of Einstein Syndrome

There are numerous characteristics of Einstein syndrome that are seen in some children. They include:

• Good memory: A child with Einstein syndrome has a good memory which depends on his/her age. At the age of 2 or 3 years, a child with this syndrome is able to operate computers and other instruments which their normal peers are unable to do.
• Analytical skills: A child with this syndrome has a very good analytical mind. The child at the age of 2 or 5 years can solve puzzles and do build mechanical blocks quickly. The IQ of such a child is exceptionally high.
• Delayed speech: A child with Einstein syndrome has delayed speech. Most of the children with this syndrome start speaking at the age of five. At the age of three years, they cannot speak two or three words. They begin to speak words in sentences at the age of five.
• Stubborn: Children with this syndrome are indeed stubborn. They are determined to do what they are passionate about. They will resist if forced to do what they do not like.
• Lack of social interest: Children with Einstein syndrome do not like socializing with their peers. They prefer staying alone.
• Attentive: People with Einstein syndrome pay great attention to a subject that is close to their heart. They work with order and they will not commit to an assignment they do not like.
• Delayed toiled training: The ideal time of training a child to potty is between 1^1/2 and 2^1/2 But this varies among children. Children with Einstein syndrome may take longer than their peers to be potty trained.

 Medical Disorders that Cause Delayed Speech

A child’s delay in talking may be caused by some medical disorders apart from Einstein syndrome. It is vital for a parent to request a comprehensive diagnosis of the condition the child is suffering from before concluding that it is Einstein syndrome. The following are causes of delayed speech in children:

• Autism: It is a neurological condition that affects the way a person talks, interacts with others, learns and communicates. It begins early in life and continues in adulthood. People with this disorder exhibit a wide range of symptoms. They find it difficult to talk to another person or they might avoid eye contact when you talk to them. These people also spend a lot of time to do something and are not interested in some activities.
• Tongue tied: This is a condition where the strip attaching the child’s tongue to the floor of the mouth is shorter than normal ones. Tongue tied may limit the tongue movement which makes it difficult for the baby to breastfeed. Some babies with a tongue tied experience no problem. Besides breastfeeding difficulties, tongue tied may cause other problems such as it makes it harder for a person to make a speech.
• Down syndrome: This is a condition caused by defective gene and it affects mental and physical status of people. This condition starts before birth and can continue throughout the life of a person. Besides a flat face and short neck, people with Down syndrome suffer from intellectual disability. Down syndrome occurs as a result of an extra chromosome in a child. Normally, a child should have 46 chromosomes; each parent donating 23 chromosomes. In Down syndrome, a person has 47 chromosomes. The additional chromosome can affect the way the body and brain develops.

 Treatment for Einstein Syndrome

Einstein syndrome does not have any other diagnosis besides delayed speech and intelligence. Your child needs a thorough evaluation to find out the cause of the problem. Evaluations are done to check for medical disorders such as autism and Down syndrome.

Down syndrome can be diagnosed before and after birth. After birth, your doctor may take a sample of your baby’s blood and analyze it for Down syndrome.

Your child will also be tested for hearing impairment to find if it is the cause of delayed speech.

Although the speech of your child is delayed in the first few years of life, the child’s speech begins at age five. The child is able to lead a happy and productive life.