What the heck! How can it even be insinuated that this condition is a "negative" thing! My son absolutely loves his synaesthesia and I would never "take it away" from him - not for anything. It greatly enriches his life - even with his autism... Throughout history synaesthesia has been considered a gift from the gods - artists have tried to fake it for goodness sake!! I just can't believe anyone would be doing research to try to keep it from "kicking off" in children -- is there no appreciation for giftedness anymore? As a mother I am just horrified by the tone of this article...

I entirely agree! Without synaesthesia, I would never have won a single spelling bee in my life, or remembered any of my times tables. Who's the pompous * who claimed that synaesthesia "interferes with a child's education?" That it is a "disease?" I can see the value in the research but I am absolutely appalled by this.

I have this and DO NOT want to be "cured." It is a part of who I am, not a disease from which I "suffer." I repeat, I DO NOT suffer from this at all! Being a synaesthete gives me the opportunity to experience the world in more ways with all my senses. From my perspective, it allows me to sense everything I do in full dimension, which enables me to write poetry a friend once described as "double Dutch chocolate." Without my synaesthesia, I could not be an award-winning writer or a successful artist. Four-fifths of my experience of the world around me would be missing.

I can, however, see the value in the research, because of its link to epilepsy and to autism. Epilepsy is a genetic condition which can be life threatening and does run in my family. I have a rare form of it, for which I take medication. If synaesthesia were completely enmeshed with the siezures, the synaesthesia would not be present while I am on the medication. However, the medication has no effect whatsoever on my synaesthesia, for which I am extremely glad. Depending on the degree of severity, autism is seen as either a blessing or as a curse (and anywhere in between) by those who have it. I know this, because my husband is on the autism spectrum, as is my stepson, and I have done considerable research on the subject in order to help with my stepson's education. Most autistic people do not want to be "cured," either. They want to be understood and to obtain education and therapy to help them function better in the world. Would this research shed light on these areas?

It angered me to read that we synesthetes "suffer" from an "ailment." Obviously not written by a synesthete! I've never spoken to anyone with synesthesia who would want to be cured.

how can i get Synaesthesia?..

How dare you say that synaesthesia is a disease !.
What about the enhanced memory , the talents which come with it.
This is not something negative which "needs to be discovered early" , clearly you have never met a person with synaesthesia.
I play multiple instruments , am a great student who explores every possible hobby around her , and am a chatty Gemini.
Most of all I am proud of who I am and don't consider myself a "disease".

"Suffer" from Synesthesia? I'm a synesthete, and have never felt that I was suffering from an "ailment." Synesthesia is an absolute gift! I can remember numbers and names so easily. I can take a test, and tell you where the answer was on the page where I read it. Because it was in color and I remember it like a picture. I love having synesthesia!

To refer to synesthesia as a disease is in my opinion absolutely nonsense and it is really not suffering to be synaesthesic!!! I have grapheme-colour synaethesia for numbers and also visual-spatial synaethesia for numbers, days of the week, months of the year, etc. I have always been synaethesic and cannot imagine how anybody else can do maths if they cannot "see" the location of a number. It has really helped me to do calculations and to remember dates for instance. If your brain is wired this way it is a pretty normal experience and does definetely not interfere with a child's education. I never had a day's scholastic problems and finished school when I was 17. I run my own business in the medical field with great success. I would rather regard synaesthesia as a unique gift and a richer way of experiencing life. It is true that it runs in families - my father and sister is the same.

WHAT!? "Sufferers" of Synaesthesia? Condition to be cured? Interferes with a child's education?

I'm sorry, but with all due respect to the Oxford researchers - I think YOU need the curing!

I would fight to the death to keep my synaesthesia. I adore having it. I do not suffer from synaesthesia - I am GIFTED with it!!!

You know, you people are getting very bent out of shape at the choice of one word in the article based upon your experiences. My wife is synaesthetic and while it is generally an awesome thing for her (she gets to experience so much richer a view of life), she also has some manifestations that can be extremely unpleasant. How would you like it if YOUR synaesthia caused you to taste a flavor you absolutely despise every time you see a particular shade of green?

This article makes me angry reading it. Synesthesia is no more a disease than having blue eyes. Just because it's out of the ordinary, does not make it threat or something negative. Study it because it's facinating, not to find a 'cure' and stop it.

WellSaid!!!!!!!!

If it weren't for synaesthesia, I would not have been able to memorize how to spell "field" or remember that 6 times 7 is 42. Synaesthesia was nothing but an aid to me in my childhood years, and so I am absolutely appalled that anyone would claim that it "interferes with a child's education." That is phrased in such a way that the unknowing person would assume that synaesthesia impedes the learning process, and this is entirely false. Furthermore, I am disgusted with your use of the word "disease," making it sound as if synaesthesia is a terrible something which needs to be cured. I was put off by these two factors and was not at all convinced that the author of this article really believed that it "is not necessarily a bad thing."