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.
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.
Highlights. Hyperlexia is characterised by strong decoding skills and delayed comprehension. Hyperlexia is strongly associated with autism (84% of cases are on the spectrum).
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 ...
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.
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.
Abstract. Objective: Hyperlexic-like reading (defined as word decoding much better than comprehension) has been associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
There are three levels of autism. Level 1 is considered more high functioning and independent, level 3 is the most debilitating form of the disorder, and level 2 is somewhere in between.
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.
Explicitly teach wh- questions and practise how to answer them (for example memorising that an answer to a 'why' question can begin with the word 'because…'). Blank's levels of questioning are an effective way to support development of these skills.
Hyperlexia is diagnosed by a team of medical professionals and will usually be made in early childhood.
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.
If you notice your child being hyper fixated on letters or words, in an obsessive way, and they aren't functionally talking, it's important to pull back on teaching and exposing these things to your toddler and preschooler. A child with hyperlexia is more likely to get a diagnosis of autism, not less.
There are other brain disorders that mimic autism symptoms, like ADHD and anxiety disorders, including selective mutism. Autism can be misdiagnosed as another disorder with some shared symptoms.
If you still hear people use some of the older terms, you'll want to know what they mean: Asperger's syndrome. This is on the milder end of the autism spectrum. A person with Asperger's may be very intelligent and able to handle their daily life.
Level 3 ASD, formerly known as low-functioning autism, is the most severe form of autims. People with level 3 autism require very substantial support.
What is Low Functioning Autism? Low functioning autism refers to children and adults with autism who show the most severe symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder and are diagnosed as having Level 3 ASD. They are usually unable to live independently and require support from a guardian throughout their lives.
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.
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.
Thus, hyperlexia can be a splinter skill in savant syndrome in a child with an underlying autism spectrum disorder, but it is not necessarily so and the differentiation of autism spectrum disorder from “autistic-like” behaviors is a critical one in terms of intervention, treatment and outcome.
Causes of Hyperlexia
Approximately 84% of children with hyperlexia have autism and approximately 1 in 54 children have an autism spectrum disorder. Hyperlexia has subtypes, only some of which overlap with autism.
Experts disagree about how common hyperlexia is, but it is believed that around 6% to 14% of autistic kids are considered hyperlexic.
You can use students' strengths in reading and memory to compensate for some of their struggles. Also, visual aids can help students learn abstract concepts. It is almost always important to make time to explicitly teach social skills to students with hyperlexia, and it can help to use social stories and scripts.