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GLASGOW, Scotland: An 11-year-old Scottish boy with Asperger's syndrome is set to take part in Junior Mastermind.
Andrew Cowan, from Glasgow, has won a seat on the BBC One quiz programme with his specialist subject of Star Wars.
Andrew is one of 20 hopefuls aged between 10 and 11 who will appear on the programme, which begins on May 16.
People with Asperger's usually have fewer problems with language than those with classic autism and many lead highly productive lives in specialised fields, such as academia. It was only identified as a separate condition in 1944 and became clinically recognised in the mid-1990s.
Andrew's symptoms manifest themselves in his problems with social interaction and the fact that he cannot cope with high noise levels. He also finds it difficult to cope with stressful situations.
However, he has shown a remarkable knowledge of the Star Wars film saga since his early childhood. At the age of four, he correctly answered 95 per cent of the questions in a Star Wars newspaper quiz and has said he likes the films because they are "a classic story between good and evil."
Despite his problems, Andrew was determined to sit in the famous big black chair.
He said: "I wanted to show that people like me can live a normal life and also that we're not what people think. Asperger's syndrome is not a life sentence. It's a blessing, not a curse."
Last year's Junior Mastermind contest was won by 10-year-old Daniel Parker from Cardiff who answered questions on James Bond villains.
This year's contestants will be quizzed on subjects ranging from the Beatles to the life and career of Winston Churchill, the history of Cadbury and black holes.
Six contestants will make it through to the grand final later this year to compete for the Junior Mastermind 2005 title.
Mastermind's quizmaster, John Humphrys, said: "These children really understand their subjects and are genuinely interested in them. They are also remarkably cool under pressure.
I wouldn't sit in that chair for a king's ransom."
Andrew’s parents believe his achievement in reaching the finals of Junior Mastermind is all the more significant because he finds it particularly difficult to deal with crowds and high noise levels.
The profile of Asperger’s syndrome was raised recently when the condition was featured in the best-selling book, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, written by Mark Haddon.
A recent study from the Royal Society of Medicine diagnosed the artist, Michelangelo, as one of the most famous sufferers. Analysing accounts of the painter’s life, experts claimed he showed all the key traits of the syndrome, including poor social skills and repetitive behaviour.
(Sources: BBC News Online, The Scotsman, May 4, 2005)
GO ANDREW!
04 May 2005, 5:51 pm
