Hearing their 2-year-old recite the alphabet backwards helped parents Mel Stevenson and Alex Gilks realise something was different about their son.
Now 13, George Gilks, who has autism, likes to memorise birthdays, geographic information, song and number lists, and sometimes his retention skills are remarkable, his parents say.
Yesterday during an interview he quizzed the Otago Daily Times' photographer and reporter about their and their parents' ages.
But, while he has an excellent memory, his parents say it is a popular misconception that autistic children frequently fall into the "savant'' high-functioning category.
"People say things like, ‘how bad is he', not meaning to sound so blunt. We kind of think of him as somewhere in the middle,'' Mr Gilks said.
Ms Stevenson said early intervention could have a big impact on the severity of the condition.
Because George was their first child, they had not been as aware of some of the signs, such as lack of eye contact as a baby, and George was not diagnosed until shortly before his third birthday.
Mr Gilks and Ms Stevenson said George's condition had changed their lives, but they tried hard to ensure family life was not wholly consumed by autism.
A "super trivial'' problem, like wearing the "wrong'' shoes, could trigger a "meltdown''.
Sometimes people in public stared at the family during a "meltdown'', assuming George was "naughty''.
They said teachers and other children had good awareness and acceptance of autism, but "the resourcing of it still is not great''.
The family had to fight for their son to be allocated a teacher aide, and said it was hard to imagine how some families secured Ministry of Education resources.
Parents also receive assistance through fundraising carried out by autism support groups.
The Otago Children's Autism Support Group is holding a charity gala night in Dunedin on May 5.
