Synaesthesia
Advice for people with synaesthesia
Most people with synaesthesia have had it since childhood, so it feels perfectly normal to experience the world in this way. It's not obtrusive and does not affect day-to-day life. It's not necessary to see a doctor.
If you think your child has synaesthesia
If you are a parent of a child with synaesthesia, you may wish to discuss it with their teacher so they are aware of it. There is evidence that synaesthesia affects educational ability, either by slightly distracting the pupil, or (most often) by giving slight learning advantages.
It may also be true that your child will learn in different ways to other children. For instance, many people with synaesthesia report a visual style of thinking.
If it comes on suddenly in adulthood
If you suddenly begin to experience symptoms of synaesthesia for the first time as an adult, it's a good idea to see your GP for an assessment.
This is because there could be underlying factors related to your brain and nervous system that may need investigating.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
Introduction
Synaesthesia is a condition where a sensation in one of the senses, such as hearing, triggers a sensation in another, such as taste.
What are the different types of synaesthesia?
There are many different types of synaesthesia, and manypeople with synaesthesia will experience more than one of these for example, taste, sound and touch may all produce colours. Colours and patt
Advice for people with synaesthesia
Most people with synaesthesia have had it since childhood, so it feels perfectly normal to experience the world in this way. It's not obtrusive and does not affect day-to-day life. It's not necessary
Is synaesthesia linked to other conditions?
Because the number of people with synaesthesia is relatively small, it is not yet possible to know this conclusively. An Australian study did not find any evidence of an association between synaesth
What's the cause?
It's likely that the brain of someone with synaesthesia is "wired" differently, or has extra connections. A brain imaging study has shown that when some people with synaesthesia hear spoken words, a
How do people with synaesthesia feel about their condition?
Interviews with people who have synaesthesia show a wide rangeof feelings towards their condition. Many are positive about it ("I feel sorry for people who don't have this"), and can't imagine their
How common is it?
Synaesthesia has been estimated to affect at least 4% of the UK population. Researchers at the University of Sussex have estimated that 1-2% of the UK population experience colour when they see, hear
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