PUTRAJAYA: Diagnosed with mild autism at a young age, 12-year-old Izz Imil Shahrom has defied expectations and risen to extraordinary heights, pursuing a science and mathematics course at Universiti Malaya. Despite early challenges in communication and motor skills, Izz Imil has demonstrated a passion for learning, an insatiable curiosity, and an unwavering determination to make a meaningful impact on the world. His journey began with a fascination for numbers and letters, nurtured by his parents.
“I learned addition and subtraction from my mum and dad,” he said, reflecting on his early education. “I even taught myself to read during a bout of bronchitis when I was just one and a half years old,” he said when sharing his story at the Festival of Ideas held at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre here today (Nov 28). With the help of speech, occupational, play and music therapies, Izz Imil said he gradually overcame communication barriers and sensory sensitivities, including an aversion to loud noises.
Inspired by his father’s teachings, Izz Imil said he discovered the wonders of cardinal directions by learning to read a clock. A periodic table at a museum further ignited his love for chemistry, blending his interests in science and mathematics. His home-schooling journey was complemented by tutors, online classes from New Zealand and religious camps, all of which enriched his knowledge and social experiences.
Despite being home-schooled for much of his educ.
