Synesthesia
By: Rachel Ellison
The idea of this unique condition might be confusing, but the explanation to it is really simple. You know the senses that you use everyday, well these senses are controlled from your brain. When we're born some of the neurological bridges in our brain are overlapped, but as we get older, they separate, but what happens if these bridges don't untangle themselves? You have a synesthete. Since their senses are connected, they can taste color, or see sound. There are many different combinations, and types of synesthesia. In fact, over 60 types of synesthesia have been reported, but each of them are equally amazing.
This condition has many benefits. It helps you remember names and titles, because each name or title has it's own color or pattern. The synesthete learns to associate the color and pattern, which helps them remember it. It comes in handy if you're going to a new school, or meeting new people, or applying for a job that requires remembering titles and names.
This condition does have a couple flaws. It can interfere with reading, math, and learning a new language. In reading and math the numbers and letters have colors, which can distract the synesthete. While learning a new language, the synesthete will try to connect the different words from the two languages, but they can't. You see, one word in English can be blue, but in another language it would be a different color.
In conclusion, Synesthesia is a very unique and special condition, It has both flaws and benefits, but these people have been blessed to have such a wonderful gift. To be able to see sound, or taste colors. Who wouldn't want something so amazing like this? I wouldn't mind living in a world full of color.
I recommend... If the idea of Synesthesia intrigues you I would recommend you reading a wonderful book called "A Mango Shaped Space" by Wendy Mass. It is an amazing story about a young girl who has kept her Synesthesia a secret all her life, but now her secret is out. She goes on a long journey of self-discovery, but she'll have to lose something very special to find herself.
Summary
The main idea of this project was to explain what a unique and rare condition this is. I gave you a brief outline of it, and showed you how it has effected synesthetes everywhere. I find this topic very interesting and I am happy that I have gotten to share my knowledge on it.
Tools and Sites
In the making of this project I used a couple of sites to get extra facts and details. The sites I have used are listed below.
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia