Sharing with my mates the history of Cameron Thompson. Asperger, 14 year, math genius.
Font: BBC News - What is life like for a teenage prodigy?
At the age of 11, Cameron sat a school entrance maths test.
"One hundred and forty one out of 140, I broke the system, I think I did well," he says.
At the same age, he sailed through two GCSEs in maths and additional maths, and in the same year passed his maths A-level with flying colours. But being brilliant at maths has become Cameron's entire identity, and trying to fit in at school and develop his social skills has somehow become left behind in a desire to escape mediocrity.
I have the social ability of a talking potato," he says.
"Most people my age do despise me. I've been like this for years. I'm used to being ignored."
The foundations of his academic success have also been shaken by the fact that his grades for his degree course have been dropping, and he is panicking. In the first year, his marks were up in the 80s, putting him in the top 0.5%. But on a recent assignment, he scored 72%, a healthy grade by most people's standards, but not enough to secure the distinction that he wants.
"I am a bit worried about failing the Open University," he says. "I just am, despite the fact that, technically, I shouldn't be doing it for about another five years."
(...)
With his family moving house, however, Cameron is facing a fresh start at a new school and the opportunity to try to establish a new social life.
"It gives me a chance to start again, so they reckon [I'll] actually work my way up the social ladder, instead of just staying at the bottom," he says.
"If I can make it to the middle I'm less likely to be bullied there, certainly not physically."
11 Nov 2011, 5:18 pm
