Autism and Memory: Surprising Strengths You Should Know
Do people with autism have good memory? Many do—but memory strengths and challenges vary. Autistic individuals often excel at remembering facts, details, or visual information. Research shows that over 70% of people with autism have isolated skills in memory or visuo-spatial tasks. Some even recall information (like dates or routines) with extraordinary accuracy.
- Detail & Visual Recall: Many autistic people remember images, patterns, or facts better than their peers. Studies show autistic children can outperform others in visual memory tasks.
- Types of Memory: Semantic memory (facts, vocabulary) and rote memorization are often strengths. Episodic memory (personal events) and social memory can be weaker—autistic people may struggle to remember faces or social details.
- Working Memory & Complexity: Autistic children may find it harder to handle
complex or multi-step tasks, but do well with simple, concrete information.
- Not Photographic for All: Not everyone with autism has “photographic memory,” but some have
impressive recall abilities, especially in areas of special interest.
Families in Blue Jay ABA often share how their children remember addresses, car models, or favorite stories in great detail—while sometimes needing support with recalling day-to-day social experiences.
Do people with autism have good memory? Absolutely—but it depends on the type of memory. Harnessing these strengths in therapy can boost learning and confidence.
Curious what memory skills your child excels at? Call Blue Jay ABA and ask about our “Memory Map” session—we’ll identify your child’s strengths and create tailored strategies to build on them. Discover how memory power can help your family grow!
Sources:
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10916907/
- https://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/autism-memory/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8814938/
- https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2023/07/children-autism-memory.html
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3340415/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1847594/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autism_and_memory
- https://theconversation.com/memory-and-sense-of-self-may-play-more-of-a-role-in-autism-than-we-thought-63210
- https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1210259/full
- https://embrace-autism.com/autism-strengths-and-challenges/
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/keep-it-in-mind/202204/autism-memory-superpower
- https://autism.org/study-detects-significant-memory-problems-in-autism/
- https://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/autism-strengths-and-weaknesses/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1750946723001770
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-99898-2
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