'500,000 children suffer from cross-sensory condition'

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The study found the average UK primary school had at least two pupils with synaesthesia

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Around half a million children in the UK are suffering from a relatively unknown condition which causes a merging of the senses, new research today revealed.

The study into synaesthesia - a cross-sensory phenomenon in which sounds may be "seen" and words "tasted" - discovered approximately 500,000 children experience some form of the condition.

The research has led to calls for greater awareness in schools about the prevalence of the condition in pupils.

Academics at the University of Edinburgh found only five per cent of headteachers had heard of synaesthesia and less than 15 per cent of learning support teachers could provide an accurate definition.

Synaesthetes experience together two or more of the five senses that are usually experienced separately. Some, for example, may experience colour when they hear sounds or read words.

The study found the average UK primary school had at least two pupils with this type of synaesthesia. Six hundred children from 21 primary schools took part in the two-year study.

Based on their findings, academics estimated around 500,000 children in the UK had some form of synaesthesia. They found there was enthusiasm among the teaching profession for a greater understanding of the condition, despite a lack of information.

The study also revealed that for children who experienced colours from numbers, power of memory could be boosted by showing numbers in their "correct" colours.

Dr Julia Simner, of the University of Edinburgh's school of psychology, who led the research, said: "Our study was motivated by the numbers of parents who contact our lab, wanting to convince their child's teacher that synaesthesia is a genuine phenomenon.

"Most synaesthetes are met with disbelief. With a small amount of support, teachers can allow their synaesthete pupils to profit from their sensations or simply to be confident about enjoying their differences."

The findings of the study will be discussed at the meeting of the UK Synaesthesia Association in Edinburgh.

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