DS early reader - is this unusual?

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DS is 3.5. He's always loved letters and phonics, he will listen to jolly phonics songs whenever he can. He's started reading and can read things like 'Tim dug up a lot of mud. His dog dug up a rag.'
There is no pushing from us.

Is this in the realms of normal?

I wonder about autism due to need for routine and know hyperlexia can be a sign. Would hyperlexia be reading more complicated things than this at this age.

Thanks

It’s on the earlier side of normal but not massively abnormally so.

My DS is 2y 9m and does the same. I think it’s memory rather than reading though. I’ve never tested it to be fair! He knows all the initial sounds and asks what words say. He’s also incredibly verbal and has been speaking in sentences for over a year, so I sometimes wonder about ASD but who knows at this age? They’re all developing in their own ways.

Two of mine were early readers. My ds could read full on chapter books before he was 3 (yes, really). Dd was about where your ds is and reading fluently by reception when she was nearly 5. Both autistic.

(For balance, my dd3 was older when she learnt to read, probably y2, is also autistic, and is the most avid reader of all of them now)

It’s not a dead cert, obviously! But in the context of other signs, it’s definitely a possibility I’d keep in mind.

It's early but not weirdly so. Enjoy it, it's lovely when they learn a new skill, he sounds bright and having fun with letters. Worry about stuff when / if you are faced with a problem.

Hyperlexia normally means they have excellent decoding skills but very little understanding of meaning. So they can sound out words but if you ask them something about what they’ve read, they don’t really know or they just repeat bits back to you verbatim. Autistic kids also seem to not use pictures to infer meaning in the same ways as neurotypical kids do. Does this sound like your DS?

Precocious reading is not uncommon and not necessarily linked to autism or to academic excellence. Just a kids who has the chance to read and likes it.

But yes I think for this to be hyperlexia you would expect him to be reading more complex words. Some kids are only just turned 4 when they start reception and pick up phonics very quickly so not much older than he is now.

Hmmm. Mine was extremely verbal and reading early and it turns out she is actually autistic. But it’s not a sure sign. Does he show other signs such as meltdowns, sensory issues (socks, hats, coats, food, hand dryers?), being very inflexible, struggling with transitions? With our daughter it was when she was 4 we first started wondering what was going on as these things didn’t go away as she got past what we thought was the terrible toddler stage.

Have a look up about gestalt language learning…?

I was very lucky to have four early readers (they are all in their twenties now!). All were reading fluently by reception, think the younger ones just wanted to be like the older ones! They were all put in free readers in reception rather than reading schemes as they were beyond that level. Extraordinary really now I look back.

It's on the early side of normal, but not worringly so. I'd expect a good number of four year olds to be reading at that level so he's maybe 6 months ahead.

I read really early and still speed read, average paperback chick lit takes me about 45-60 mins
Not autistic but just have a huge love of reading

Dd read early and when she started school at 4yrs 4 months, was reading chapter books. I don't think it was hyperlexia as she learned in the normal way, with matching comprehension skills, just early.

She's 17 now and considering pursuing an autism diagnosis. She had no obvious signs whilst young, but is a typical bright girl who masks.

Yes to meltdowns, doesn't like hand dryers, is inflexible and oddly obsessed with what food is planned at nursery.

I feel like most things alone could be passed off as normal 3 year old behaviour but I wonder about the combination.

I think his comprehension is similar to reading ability, he does look at the pictures to see what is happening.

Clever boy! I was like this as a kid (I'm NT), very early reader, went to school a proficient reader already, writing stories, and have always been a very fast reader and devoured books (and even my career has been totally around words and writing and I used to be a book editor!). I sort of assumed DD1(5.5) would be the same but to my DISMAY () she's shown no real interest in learning to read until v recently. So I think some kids do just have that combination of early natural ability coupled with obviously being read to and a love of reading.

My eldest was like this and still loves to read. Read everything she could get her hands on, the backs of cereal packets, the lot! School has to have a word as she read Harry Potter when she was 5 and was scaring the other kids telling them about it at school!

My youngest is dyslexic and her processing differences have affected her speech and learning in general. But she is just as clever as her sister in a different way. They are all different. Having an early reader is such fun but you might have to answer awkward questions - mine saw a man wearing a t shirt in Soho that read ‘I Love Dick’ and quizzed me for days about who on earth Dick could be…

I taught myself to read. It's a reflection of my impatience and stubbornness. Mum wouldn't read to me when I wanted her to, so I learnt to read so I could read when I wanted to. I was a similar age to your boy.

I also didn't see the point in going to preschool. I could play and paint/draw at home. I wanted to learn and was very frustrated that I couldn't.

My DD was a very early reader like this. She could have read The Times at the age of 3 if we’d given it to her.

She has now been diagnosed with autism.

DD was like that. Is quite far ahead of her peers academically still; a bit of an issue at her state primary but we're managing. She is probably autistic but it's not caused major issues yet. Nervous for teenage years though.

I would also say that it’s not necessarily a sign of extreme intelligence. My other DC were later readers (normal age) but are now much more academic and intelligent than my early reader DD.

My ds was reading similar by the time he turned 4. He never got phonics mind, learnt to read by sight on his own accord. Got a D in his English gcse and asd diagnosis at 17.

I was reading at 3.5. I don’t think I’m autistic, although I do have some sensory issues.

Seems like I'll just watch and wait. I'll encourage his love of letters and reading and hope school support when he goes next year.

I read ridiculously early. I don't ever remember not being able to read. School didn't know what to do with me. I skipped reception year because of it, which was not a good thing in other ways.

I just always found written language easy.

I am no genius in adulthood, nor am I autistic. I can still speed read and cope with menus in about six languages but that's the extent of it these days.