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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Can anyone's 2 year old read?

70 replies

Jimjams · 03/03/2004 07:45

I have a horrible suspicion that ds2 (2 years and 1 month) is reading a number of words. I've tested him a few times and he keeps getting them right. I am NOT happy about this- and I have NOT taught him aything- the last thing I need is him showing signs of hyperlexia. (linked to autism blah blah- elder autistic brother could read odd things at 2 as well- although ds2 seems to be able to recognise more than him).

So please someone tell me your totally normal, completely normal with no social or language problems was abe to read at 2 years and one month (or younger - I've been trying to ignore ds2's "ability" for a while).

He shows no other signs of autism btw- speech is very unclearbut he's talking in sentences and his language is fine. Very sociable, copies. I just panic occasionally that he's going to regress.

So go on reassure me- someone else must have a young child with excellent pattern recognition skills who isn't autistic.

OP posts:

FairyMum · 03/03/2004 07:59

My friend has a DS (age 2.6 now), but he could read a little at the age of 2 and also count to 50! I guess she is what you would call a "pushy parent", but I guess you still need the ability to learn at that age....

bossykate · 03/03/2004 08:08

depends what you mean by "reading" jimjams. ds (2y 8m) has been recognising letters for ages and can now recognise some words including his name. i wouldn't really call this "reading" though - as you say, more pattern recognition.

LIZS · 03/03/2004 08:11

dd 2 yrs 6 months can certainly recognise some words and can identify many letters phonetically. She also appears to have excellent recall and will steal ds' ORT books and "read" them to herself, fairly accurately. Whether this is actually her reading anything or just a memory exercise I'm not sure. She will ask what a particular word is and knows it next time she sees it. Her speech and vocabulary is pretty extensive though.

twiglett · 03/03/2004 08:11

message withdrawn

Furball · 03/03/2004 09:22

My DS 2.3 can recognise all the letters capitals and small. Thats nothing that we've particularly taught him, he's just decided he likes letters. He even has to eat Alphabetti Spagetti and those Alpha Bite potato shapes.

katierocket · 03/03/2004 09:24

hi jimjams
ds (2.5) can recognise certain words and has been able to for a few months but not sure if this counts?

GillW · 03/03/2004 09:48

ds (2.5) has recognised his name for a while, and a few other words, but I'd definately call it more pattern recognition than reading.

The nearest he's come to doing anything which could possibly be described as actually reading, rather than just matching patterns, was a few months ago (about 2.2?) when he got very excited in a supermarket after spotting some bottles of Olive (his name minus the final letter) Oil and insisted on running his finger along the word and pronouncing the syllables as he came to them. He did quite correctly miss off the final syllable as he could see that the last letter he was used to seeing wasn't there.

Reading? I'm not sure I'd go that far, and maybe I'm just less informed than you about these things, but I thought it was something to be amused about/proud of, not worried by.

He does ask "what's that say?" quite a bit though when he sees words, so he obviously does recognise written words as corresponding to a spoken equivalent.

CountessDracula · 03/03/2004 10:09

Jimjams if it's any help I could apparantly read from the Times when I was 2 (probably nearing 3) but could read entire sentences and I am not autistic! I could talk very well by the time I was about 20 months, again whole sentences.

They put me up a year at school so I was always the youngest by a long way, but it all seemed to even out pretty quickly and I was certainly no superbrain!

Blu · 03/03/2004 10:32

DS has been recognising a couple of words since about 2.2,his name, ours, he can identify who a letter is to if it's clearly written on the envelope, but I think it is recognition rather than reading. Now, at 2yrs 7 mths he can recognise lots of letters and say what sounds they represent, or listen to a sound and say what letter it is, again all mainly connected to names. (and i have made no special efforts to teach him to do this). Has been talking in complex proper sentences since 18 months, and using words like 'both, together, either,' correctly since about 20 months. Shows no sign of any AS traits as far as I know.

marialuisa · 03/03/2004 10:38

yeah, DD could read a little at this age, but it was based on "whole word" recognition, rather than decoding IYSWIM. She's been decoding pretty accurately on her own for a few months now.

Helsbels · 03/03/2004 10:39

ds (2.6) knows the alphabet i.e. can recognise all letters and say the alphabet a-z He can do simple sums from a book but again I think this is pattern recognition. He can also spell out o-n-e. t-w-o- etc up to whatever. We have never pushed him - he is just interested in numbers and letters - he can't dress or undress and cries if you say potty so I think it is just what he likes doing!!

Gumboot · 03/03/2004 10:42

Ds can recognise the word McDonalds (nearly 2) but calls it chips I'll have him reading the menue b4 he turns 3

dinosaur · 03/03/2004 10:52

DS2 can't read words but does have pattern recognition skills e.g. can tell the numbers on a dice. I am sure he is not on the autistic spectrum although I do go through occasional panics, especially as he copies a lot of DS1's autistic behaviours.

Original poster

Jimjams · 03/03/2004 11:28

well this is reassuring. Glad I'm not the only one who has these panics dino It's hard to know whats normal when you only have a disorder to compare it with........

Yeah probably should be amused by it Gill W- but I was rather proud of ds1's ability then later found out that it was one of the earliest auti signs he showed!

OP posts:

dinosaur · 03/03/2004 11:30

What I am finding more and more Jimjams is that my DS1 and DS2 have similar interests - but DS2's are not magnified by the obsessive tendencies of the autist - but for example they are both fascinated by numbers and by buses and trains. It's really interesting to me because now I can see what "normal" fascination looks like.

Clarinet60 · 03/03/2004 12:48

My friend's dd could recognise words at 2, jimjams. She is 5 now and seems fine. It was whole word recognition, usually a logo such as ASDA (which was just green lettering and no pictures).

my ds2 will be 2 in May but can barely talk, let alone read.

Original poster

Jimjams · 03/03/2004 12:56

Ds1 is definitely whole word recognition- the thing that worried me slightly is that he would recognise words out of context- so just the word itself- mainly names like Edward, Thomas, Gordon (yep he's a tank engine fan).

I wouldn't say he could talk Droile But then ds1 can read some words and can't talk at all I must be the only mother who tells her childto "stop counting" (I get some funny looks in the gym- he loves counting things- but honestly counting brings me out in the eeby jeebies far too many bad memories tied up with counting).

I know what you mean as well dinosaur. Ds2 tunes into normal things whereas ds1 will spend ages on washing lines.

OP posts:

miranda2 · 03/03/2004 13:05

Oh my god. Now i'm panicking my 2yo is subnormal. Please, most people - your child wasn't reading at this age, tell me now?!

Blu · 03/03/2004 13:12

Miranda, stop it right now!

Original poster

Jimjams · 03/03/2004 13:30

miranda honestly! I would rather my children weren't reading until 7!! Being able to read at this age is a sign of good pattern recognition- being good at patterns can be quite autistic (a reason why autistic kids can do weird things like puzzles upside down). Its certainly not subnormal!

OP posts:

zebra · 03/03/2004 13:54

Come On, Jimjams; you're very clever, your kids are doubtless very clever, too. Even if your DS1 has to deal with the world through the filter of autism. You mustn't get too het up about "risk factors" such as early pattern recognition.

Miranda: my eldest is 4yo and still not reading words! He's got numbers down to 10, though,, maybe to 20. I know he's normal, just hasn't realised why he would want to bother to learn words, yet.

Tinker · 03/03/2004 14:09

miranda - my nearly 7 year old is only really now reading properly on her own, was a sudden advancement, I think, as though it has clicked (mostly) into place. I steer well clear of those 'Books for fluent readers at 9 months' threads and Jimjams - she is obsessed with patterns, has to break everything down into a pattern, sees patterns everywhere. I thought it just meant she might have a scientific bent rather than arty.

singingmum · 03/03/2004 14:29

Sorry have to ask why are so many mumsnetters obbsessed about reading to early?I know it can be a sign of probs but that is not the norm and I find it hard to understand.
My son read excellently by the age of 3 and could write also.My daughter can read certain words and she's three and can count in 4 diff languages all this because they just like to learn.My son is susspected adhd and although thats hard to deal with I see that as a problem,not his abilities.My daughter is bright and extremely active and won't sit still very often or for long periods but again is just her.I myself have been reading fluently since I was 5 and I have no probs at all.
I know it's hard not to compare children but I think that the way people are informed leads them to do so causing panic.
Please don't misunderstand but I am finding this more and more in my friends and relatives who are forever unable to just take things as they come.Also I would like to know why are people so afraid of children learning at a young age as I have always believed that children are far more capable than they are given credit for?

dinosaur · 03/03/2004 14:36

Singingmum - I don't know whether many mumsnetters are concerned about reading early. Jimjams' concern about it is that hyperlexia is associated with autism - which her older son has.

singingmum · 03/03/2004 14:42

I understand that dinosaur sorry not very competent as son in mood today.What I meant was that this subject of being worried was a repetetive one since I started posting on mumsnet.
I can understand jimjams concerns and know what a nightmare it can be wondering if something will be wrong.As I read the other posts it just seemed that a lot of people were worried about children learning too early.

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