Gifted autistic?

My brother is also very talented - not with numbers, but with colors, shadows and shapes. He paints beautifully, and fast, it's amazing. We even sold a couple of his paintings, but he doesn't let us really, he's too attached to them. He'd just hold on to a painting, hold it close to his chest and just stand there, in a defensive attitude, with a strange look on his face... and we just can't do anything. We tried explaining to him that this would bring him things that he wants, like a new color kit or a new easel... I'm not even sure he understands.

Are all autistic children gifted, one way or the other? Does autism trigger genius or it's the other way around? All geniuses have autistic traits, or all autistic have genius traits?

I'd like to hear of other people, how they are, and how they cope. Despite everything, I adore my little brother, and I'd like to help... so much. Don't even know if he knows me or not. He rarely seems to recognize me. He's just lost in his world, most of the time. Are all autistic children like that? Heh, he's not even a child anymore... but he'll always remain my baby brother.

I personally think that finding our autistic childrens gift is the key to establishing a connection with them. I use what I know my children are obsessed with to move them forward and make them communicate with me, and it's worked very well for us. I took a child no-one was sure would speak or interact and turned him into a child who craves attention to do the things he wants to do.

I am now seriously considering publishing my diary on how I helped my three autistic children

Laura x

only 10% of all people with asd will have savant skills

love shell

Kris

I can function OK, but it's all learned automatic copying . . but have no sense of '' located me '' or '' my hand '' - when I draw something , it appears from nowhere .

I have a career as an Interior Designer , struggling all the time to hide the stupid factors . I can understand why someone does not want to let go of something he/she creates , 'cos it is part of who I am ...

I have little concept of '' go to work / earn money / dinner / car / toys for me ... so the concepts , which , if you really stop to think about it , are all abstract , not real tangible - made up ... My wife acts as interface with the world , but she is well fed up with it too !

when we bought a house , I was not grown up enough , the same with my car - several '' cars '' later , at 60 , in my head I am still a kid playing with grown up toys , being a girl child unable to recognise the scary man [in the mirror] is just a bonus nightmare ...

I hope that this is not too stupid

dee