Autistic Savant Syndrome in the Film Rain Man Essay

Autistic Disorder: Savant syndrome The Hollywood film Rain Man is about the Autistic disorder Savant syndrome. In Rain Man, Raymond Babbitt (played by Dustin Hoffman) has Savant Syndrome and his brother Charlie Babbitt (played by Tom Cruise) finds out about Raymond being his brother and that he is good with numbers so Charlie decides to use his brother to make money. Over the course of the time that Charlie and Raymond are together, they become closer and Charlie is not just using Raymond for money. Hollywood portrays Savant syndrome accurately compared to what the APA says about Savant. Savant is a unique form of autism that has its own special skills, which set Savant apart from all other forms of autism. The most common†¦show more content†¦Savant itself is not possible to treat or cure because it is not a disorder. There is also no cure for autism or one-size-fits-all treatment. However, there are three ways that doctors can help people with autism function closer to normal. One way is behavioral a nd communication therapies, which address social, language, behavior and social problems. Drug therapies cannot hit the core of autism but drugs can help mask some of the symptoms, such as hyperactivity, while other drugs control repetitive or aggressive behavior. The third possible treatment for the symptoms of autism is complementary approaches. Instead of medical or educational therapies, parents may often use art or music therapy. This focuses on the patient’s extreme sense of sound or touch. Many people choose to do complementary therapies even though there is no scientific proof that these treatments work (Mayo Clinic Staff). Savant syndrome is extremely rare, but people with autism are more likely to have savant than people without autism. If your parents have autism, you are 5% more likely to have a form of autism (DSM, 2000 p 73). Yet, only 10% of people with autism will have some form of savant and less than 1% of non-autistic people have savant (Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D.). 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