Child with hyperlexia - any experience?

[AdelesEarring]

For context, I’m autistic and two of my 4 daughters also are (at least).

My nearly 2 year old seems to be very bright but I think this may just be another, different presentation of autism. Which is fine, of course but I’m not sure what I should be doing to help her. Her language development has been absolutely fine, though. Pointing early, starts a sentence with ‘Mummy…?’ She does say ‘Look….there’s a x’ to us and will draw our attention to things that interest her. No problems asking for things. Although she answers ‘no’ to things she doesn’t want but not ‘yes’ to things she does

She definitely has some unusual stuff going on. She can read numbers, letters and has known all colours and shapes from about 18 months at least, including shapes like ‘oval’ and ‘semi-circle’. She really enjoys watching phonics videos and trying to copy the sounds. To me, this is a bit strange.

Does anyone have any experience of hyperlexia? Because I’m autistic myself, I’m not going to notice so much when one of my children needs help with social skills. This certainly isn’t my strong point.

 

[Sailorontheseasea]

For context, I’m autistic and two of my 4 daughters also are (at least).

My nearly 2 year old seems to be very bright but I think this may just be another, different presentation of autism. Which is fine, of course but I’m not sure what I should be doing to help her. Her language development has been absolutely fine, though. Pointing early, starts a sentence with ‘Mummy…?’ She does say ‘Look….there’s a x’ to us and will draw our attention to things that interest her. No problems asking for things. Although she answers ‘no’ to things she doesn’t want but not ‘yes’ to things she does

She definitely has some unusual stuff going on. She can read numbers, letters and has known all colours and shapes from about 18 months at least, including shapes like ‘oval’ and ‘semi-circle’. She really enjoys watching phonics videos and trying to copy the sounds. To me, this is a bit strange.

Does anyone have any experience of hyperlexia? Because I’m autistic myself, I’m not going to notice so much when one of my children needs help with social skills. This certainly isn’t my strong point.

I can’t help at all but my (now) 3.5 year old was the same at that age in knowing numbers, most letters (and recognising them on paper), colours, shapes etc and speaking in full sentences from 2 onwards. I’ve always thought he was just quite bright but as he gets older he definitely does have some ASD traits too so it will be interesting to see if anyone has any knowledge or experience with it. For reference he has enlarged extra axial brain spaces which is a hard marker for autism anyway and his dad and aunties are all diagnosed ASD/ADHD.

 

[AdelesEarring]

I can’t help at all but my (now) 3.5 year old was the same at that age in knowing numbers, most letters (and recognising them on paper), colours, shapes etc and speaking in full sentences from 2 onwards. I’ve always thought he was just quite bright but as he gets older he definitely does have some ASD traits too so it will be interesting to see if anyone has any knowledge or experience with it. For reference he has enlarged extra axial brain spaces which is a hard marker for autism anyway and his dad and aunties are all diagnosed ASD/ADHD.

Thank you, yes that’s what she’s like - speaking in long sentences. She’s very rigid too. For example, will only drink milk if I’m with her and it’s causing problems because she won’t drink milk at her dad’s house and it’s one of her comfort things.

Can I ask what axial brain spaces means?

 

[Emsie]

Just found this thread! I've just posted on the toddler autism thread about hyperlexia.
My 3 year old can read everything and no one has taught him this. He had an early fasination with letters and quickly learned the alphabet and numbers to 20. He was late to talk to but not massively so. He did speak in echolalia (think that's what it's called) but we're working on correcting that. For example if he wants a drink he will say "do you want a drink" so I'm correcting him to "can I have a drink" and he's getting it.
Shapes was an obsession that lasted forever but we've finally moved out of that one. Solar system was intense but brief and now it's flags which he does love, but he isn't obsessive like he was with shapes. Loves doing maths puzzles and although he can read he doesnt particularly want to read and prefers to be read to.
Social skills are definitely behind. He's still playing alongside children rather than with them, but he is alert to their presence, can name everyone at nursery etc.
Temper tantrums are short and intense and usually involve him throwing something but we're working on that!
Just starting our assessment process now. He is definitely hyperlexic and that lies on the autism spectrum so dont think you can get just an hyperlexic diagnosis.
If anyone knows any thing we should be doing / not doing I'm all ears.
It's fascinating really, he is as bright as a button but quite modest with it all bless him.