Rote Memory

A strong aptitude for rote memory is another typical cognitive tendency among children with ASD. For example, children with autism may demonstrate the ability to repeat the script of an entire video verbatim or recall specific dates. This capacity for strong rote memory may be accompanied by challenges in simple recall. It may be difficult for a child to recall the activity he has just completed or the meal he just ate, although he is able to name all the streets in his neighborhood.

A common misperception of autism is the tendency to link autism to special "savant" capabilities. Savant capabilities are extraordinary skills in a specific area, often combined with lower than average abilities in other areas of development. For instance, a child who is not toilet trained or who may not be able to talk, may be able to play complex pieces on the piano. These savant capabilities are seen in only around 10% of the children who receive a diagnosis on the autism spectrum.

It is important to remember that autism, particularly in the area of cognition, is characterized by uneven rather than simply delayed development. This means that is common for a child with ASD to show "splinter" skills, appearing to be highly capable in some tasks (i.e., math computation) but unable to follow simple routines independently or carry on a conversation. These discrepancies in skill development should be viewed as an opportunity to build on a child's strengths and extra abilities in one area while assisting them in improving or functioning more independently in other areas.