If your child is reading at a remarkably young age, it does not automatically mean that they are hyperlexic or that they are on the autism spectrum. Sometimes gifted children will begin to read at a very young age, too. The key is to recognize your child's early reading ability and talk to a professional about it.
Hyperlexia is often, but not always, part of the autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It's considered a “splinter skill,” a unique skill that doesn't have much practical application. But therapists can often use a child's hyperlexic skills as a tool for their therapy and treatment.
There are three kinds of hyperlexia: Hyperlexia 1 consists of bright, neurotypical children who simply read early. Watching a child read books out loud to his or her nursery school class is always quite startling. But eventually most other children learn to read as well so that gap disappears over time.
Highlights. Hyperlexia is characterised by strong decoding skills and delayed comprehension. Hyperlexia is strongly associated with autism (84% of cases are on the spectrum).
Males were more likely than females to have average or higher IQs. The researchers say their findings “suggest that nearly half of individuals with ASD have average or higher IQ,” and warn that these individuals “remain at risk for not being identified.”
Hyperlexia often coexists with ASD level 1 [high-functioning autism]. Hyperlexia is not seen as a separate diagnosis; however, with current fMRI research revealing that hyperlexia affects the brain in a way completely opposite to that of dyslexia, a separate diagnosis may be on the horizon.
People with hyperlexia have an innate ability to decode or sound out words very quickly and are commonly known as “super readers”. They generally have a very good auditory and visual memory. While they can read well, they may have verbal communication skills that are below their age level.
This is a group of children who do have hyperlexia as a “splinter skill” as a part of an autistic spectrum disorder. They read voraciously usually with astonishing memory for what they read, often accompanied by other memorization tasks and abilities, sometimes linked with number or even calendar calculating skills.
The key traits which may be seen in a hyperlexic child are:
Very strong word reading skills, and an ability to decode unfamiliar words far beyond the level expected at their age.
In these children the hyperlexia is accompanied by other cognitive, learning or social skill difficulties usually seen in ASD including some symptoms or behaviors such as echolalia, withdrawal, stimming, insistence on sameness, poor eye contact, repetitive behaviors and resistance to both giving and receiving affection ...
Common signs of hyperlexia that you may have noticed within your child include significant difficulty comprehending and using verbal language, as well as difficulty processing language, difficulty socializing, strong memory, compulsiveness associated with letters and numbers, and difficulty answering the 5 W's (who, ...
Children with hyperlexia are often self-taught readers who can read well above what is expected at their age but struggle to understand what they are reading. They excel in knowing how to decode written words but struggle with comprehension.
Hyperlexia is characterised when a very young child has an unusually advanced reading ability. The child may either be gifted or may have a condition called hyperlexia.
Hyperlexia is when a child starts reading early and surprisingly beyond their expected ability, sometimes when they are 18 or 24 months, and occasionally it is not a stand-alone diagnosis.
Developmental issues – Developmental disorders are common in children who are hyperlexic and such developmental issues can include lower communication skills and behavioral problems. Lower comprehension – While hyperlexic kids excel at reading, they display lower than average ability to understand and comprehend.
Being hyperlexic does not mean that a child will be on the autism spectrum although many children exhibit autistic traits. Hyperlexic children generally have average to above average IQ test scores but generally have problems learning in a classroom setting.
Abstract. Objective: Hyperlexic-like reading (defined as word decoding much better than comprehension) has been associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Hyperlexia I: It happens when children developing without disabilities learn to read early and far above their expected level. Because other children eventually learn to read and catch up, and this condition is temporary.
Hyperlexics have strong decoding and word reading skills, but weak comprehension and these problems arise during listening as well as reading. (Nation et al., 2004). There continues to be debate as to whether hyperlexia is considered a deficit model (poor comprehension) or a super-ability (high word reading ability).
The most common co-occurring condition associated with hyperlexia is autism. This is why there is such a strong association with children being mistakenly labelled or diagnosed as autistic with Type 3 Hyperlexia. Other conditions that can be associated with hyperlexia is ADHD/ADD, Sensory Processing Disorder, 22q11.
Type 1: Neurotypical children who are very early readers. Type 2: Autistic children who demonstrate very early reading as a splinter skill. Type 3: Very early readers who are not on the autism spectrum, though they exhibit some "autistic-like" traits and behaviours which gradually fade as the child gets older.
Level 1 is the mildest, or “highest functioning” form of autism, which includes those who would have previously been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. Individuals with ASD level 1 may have difficulty understanding social cues and may struggle to form and maintain personal relationships.
Hyperlexia III occurs when children read early as above and, for a period of time, have “autistic-like” symptoms which, unlike children on the spectrum, fade over time and disappear.
Defining the Traits and Behaviors of Level 1 Autism
Difficulty switching between activities. Problems with executive functioning which hinder independence. Atypical response to others in social situations. Difficulty initiating social interactions and maintaining reciprocity in social interaction.