Originally Posted by ultramarina
I don't really know how rare it is, but I think it's more rare than you are assuming here. I agree that it's hard to define what savantism is, though. I did not consider DD's map abilities all that amazing--cool. but not crazy weird--when she was doing it. First baby, etc. As she got older I began to see that it was kinda out there. Then somehow I saw this video:
which has 5 million views. That could have been my DD. Eerie, actually, how much it is like her. My DH's jaw dropped when I showed it to him and pointed out the view count. There is another video with a child reciting a long poem which is also very like both my kids in toddlerhood--that one got a ton of attention as well.
That is a very cute video, I love how she jumps down but decides she wants more. And she wants to repeat the name of many of the countries. Perhaps it's because I have a gifted child but I don't see this as being that exceptional. Seems an extension of a toddlers need to learn a label for everything.