From the moment they were born, Flo and Kay Lyman were unlike any sisters on the planet. Thought to be mentally retarded, they were tormented by kids. But what nobody realized was that they were special.
They are among the most brilliant people the world has ever seen. They are the only twin sisters with identical autism diagnoses.
The term autistic savant refers to someone on the autism spectrum who possesses extraordinary skills not exhibited by most people. About 10% of the autistic population have savant abilities. Only 1% of the general population has savant abilities.
Savant abilities can come in different forms, the most common involving mathematics. For example, savants with mathematics abilities can perform difficult equations in their head. Or in Flo and Kay cases, memory.
These 50-something identical twins can tell you the day of the week for any date, past or future. They have calendrical savantism. And they can remember the weather and what they ate for any day of their lives.
That has something to do with their syndrome, and their feeling. The more they create order in their head, the more secure they feel.
