Hyperlexia is advanced and unexpected reading skills and abilities in children way beyond their chronological age. It is a fairly recently named condition (1967) although earlier descriptions of precocious reading do exist.
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.
Darold Treffert, who is a leading expert on Hyperlexia, there are three different types. Type 1: Neurotypical children who read early. Type 2: Children with autism who have Hyperlexia as a splinter skill. Type 3: Children without autism who read early, but have some autistic-like traits that fade over time.
Abstract. Objective: Hyperlexic-like reading (defined as word decoding much better than comprehension) has been associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here we study correlates of a hyperlexic-like reading style (HPL) in ADHD, a condition known to co-occur both with reading difficulties and ASD.
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.
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. They often have impressive memory for music or movies.
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.
Hyperlexia is defined as the co-occurrence of advanced reading skills relative to comprehension skills or general intelligence, the early acquisition of reading skills without explicit teaching, and a strong orientation toward written material, generally in the context of a neurodevelopmental disorder.
Hyperlexia 1 isn't very common, but it's diagnosed when normal (or "neurotypical," as it's called now) children read early. They may be able to read at a seventh-grade level when they start kindergarten.
Caused by an obsession with numbers and letters that leads to a much higher reading level than their age. Hyperlexia three - this form of hyperlexia decreases over time. Those with hyperlexia three will have exceptional reading skills but may fall behind in verbal communication.
Asperger's Syndrome is the mildest form of autism and is closely associated with level one of ASD.
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.
The study found that children with autism have an unusually broad upper face, including wide-set eyes. They also have a shorter middle region of the face, including the cheeks and nose. Children with autism have a broader or wider mouth and philtrum - the groove below the nose, above the top lip.
The main treatment for Hyperlexia will be delivered by a speech and language therapist who will focus on developing and supporting communication and social interaction skills. Therapy will use the individual's advance reading and visual abilities as a tool for therapy and language learning.
Hyperlexic reading is therefore associated with hyperactivation of the left superior temporal cortex, much in the same way as developmental dyslexia is associated with hypoactivation of this area.
What is Einstein syndrome? Einstein syndrome is a condition where a child experiences late onset of language, or a late language emergence, but demonstrates giftedness in other areas of analytical thinking. A child with Einstein syndrome eventually speaks with no issues, but remains ahead of the curve in other areas.
Many gifted children learn to read early, and as much as this may be a sign of giftedness, it is not always so. Some of the children who are hyperlexic, do learn to read very early, but because they have little or no comprehension are not termed gifted readers (Jackson, Donaldson, & Cleland, 1988).
Autism itself does not affect life expectancy, however research has shown that the mortality risk among individuals with autism is twice as high as the general population, in large part due to drowning and other accidents.
Signs of Giftedness in Children Include:
an ability to learn and process complex information rapidly. a need to explore subjects in surprising depth. an insatiable curiosity, as demonstrated by endless questions and inquiries. ability to comprehend material several grade levels above their age peers.
Those gifted in reading have a unique ability to perceive relationships, solve problems, demonstrate observational skills, and to grasp abstract ideas quickly (Witty, 1971).
In some ways Williams syndrome is the opposite of autism. For example, people with Williams syndrome love to talk and tell stories, whereas those with autism usually have language delay and little imagination. Many people with Williams syndrome draw disjointed pictures, some with autism draw pictures in perfect detail.
Autism is not an illness
It means your brain works in a different way from other people. It's something you're born with. Signs of autism might be noticed when you're very young, or not until you're older. If you're autistic, you're autistic your whole life.