Documentary explores lives of 'savant' patients
2005-04-19 / Taiwan News, Staff Reporter / By Hugnfu Hsueh

Persons who are mentally impaired or blind can still amaze the world with their
splendid
creativity in arts and literature. In a project financed by National Science
Council (???),
three patients of savant syndrome had presented their talent in music,
memorizing and
poetry.

The savant syndrome - the juxtaposition of severe mental handicap and prodigious
mental
ability - is a mysterious phenomenon for medical science. Such patients possess
great
talent in specific subjects despite their mental handicaps.

Like the story presented in the film "Rain Man," in the role played by Dustin
Hoffman, an
autistic man possessed an amazing ability memorize. This is one example of
savant
syndrome.

Wang Ming-mei, professor of special education at National Changhua University of
Education, had traced the development of three savant syndrome patients in the
past 12
years.

The NSC funded Wang's project to study the savant syndrome. Wang also made a
documentary to record the savant syndrom she studied, and had both the project's
result
and documentary released yesterday.

"There are many children with savant syndrome whose families have given up on,
and I
wish this film can give hope to those families," said Wang.

The three patients also attended the press conference yesterday to celebrate the
completion of the documentary. The three patients suffered both vision and
mental
impairment, facing a even harsher living environment than most savant syndrome
patients.

Lu Wen-kuei, aged 21, was a premature baby, born after only 6 months of
pregnancy. He
has been blind and mentally impaired since birth. At the age of 12, Lu's school
teacher
disovered that he can play music by ear on an electronic piano after just
listening to the
melody once.

Lu practiced piano and other musical instruments in the self-taught manner, and
now his
piano skills are considered close to professional standard. Lu can also play the
violin, flute
and drum.

The 19-year-old Lin Wei-chu is a lot like the character portrayed by Dustin
Hoffman in
"Rain Man." Lin was born blind and also suffers from autism.

Lin exhibits a peculiar interest in the sounds of passing trains, and is able to
tell each
train's number of cars just by listening.

Lin can also tell the exact day of the week a certain date of the past ten years
falls on,
showing a tremendous memory capacity.

Another case is 21-year-old Fu Hua, who was a victim of carbon monoxide
poisoning 10
years in a fire that left her blind, paralyzed and mute.

Fu Hua was later taught to express her will by swaying her head. Fu Hua even
learned
Moss code and a similar code in Chinese to communicate with the outside world.
Using
these, Fu Hua has created more than 200 poems, and some of them have even been
published.

Professor Wang plans to have this documentary released to the general public
through the
Hua Ming School for the Handicapped. All revenues from the documentary will be
donated
to the school.

<http://www.etaiwannews.com/Taiwan/Society/2005/04/19/1113874410.htm>