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Original poster

Hyperlexia/ autism ?

13 replies

Anon778833 · 13/12/2021 09:21

For context, I’m autistic and two of my 4 daughters also are (at least). I'm not sure if I should have posted this in SN.

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 which seems strange to me tbh. Hyperlexia is almost always a symptom of autism isn't it?

Being autistic myself, my own social skills probably aren't great and I'm not sure what I should be doing to help her socially as that could turn out to be a problem.

OP posts:
Itsnotover · 13/12/2021 19:41

Bump

HeyDuggeesFavouriteSquirrel · 13/12/2021 20:19

My son (2.5) also loves phonics videos and knows all his numbers and letters. He was otherwise delayed with language development.

As far as I know one thing alone would not be a cause for concern but I'm not an expert or professional.

Jannt86 · 13/12/2021 20:57

It can be an indication of autism but also entirely normal. Mine knew tonnes of colours and the letters of her alphabet well before she turned 2. She's also now at age 3.5 a real social bunny, fantastic imagination and plays wonderfully with other kids and recognises quite subtle nuances of communication. I'm not worried at all about autism. I think you have to look at the entire child. No one thing rules autism in/out as I'm sure you know with your experience of it Smile

Itsnotover · 13/12/2021 21:04

Thank you yes you are completely right about ‘no one thing’ but I guess I’m focussing on our family history. So many autistic people in our family. It doesn’t matter to me if she is, but I need to figure out where her problems are to help.

I guess more will become clear when she starts nursery and can be seen with her peers.

skkyelark · 13/12/2021 22:15

DD learnt her colours and shapes around the same time (hearing her try to say 'hexagon' was the cutest thing...), and was keen on letters and numbers (although more counting things than reading numbers, I would say).

In her case, I don't think it was anything more than an early interest – she spoke early, but seemed to acquire language pretty much in the standard pattern, just accelerated, and was similar with social milestones – relatively early to point, to play with other children, etc. Obviously something could crop up at a later age, but at this point, I don't think the letters/numbers are something to worry about on their own.

In terms of what you can do, I'm no expert, but I would think the same things that help any toddler develop social skills, at her pace, keeping an eye out for anything she seems to find distressing or particularly difficult: Chances to socialise with different people, to practice interaction (even the most socially astute toddler needs practice –humans are complicated creatures, as I'm sure you know). Nursery should be good for this. Reading stories and talking about what people are thinking/feeling (in very simple terms at this age, 'the squirrel wants the nut', 'oh, the boy is sad he can't play', etc.). Naming and sympathising with her own emotions, and those of other people around her.

underneaththeash · 14/12/2021 22:15

A few of my friends are "super-bright and consequently have super-bright children, some of whom are autistic. I remember one 20 mo spelling out words on my fridge, when his older brother and both by DS's were digging for worms in the garden and throwing mud.
He isn't autistic - just very clever.

I'd do 3 -4 x mornings at nursery for some socialisation, in a setting that has continuity of staff and children.

Mattieandmummy · 19/12/2021 20:06

Another here with a hyperlexic who isn't autistic, my DD knew her phonetic alphabet, numbers, shapes and colours at just two. We were under pediatric review (not autism related concerns) and they told us kids that are clearly hyperlexic and showing no markers for autism at 2 years generally go on to be very bright rather than autistic. In our case they have been right.

Ticklyrain · 20/12/2021 09:14

I am hyperlexic. I could read age appropriate books out loud at 3, I’d completed the whole primary reading curriculum by the time I started school.

I am definitely not autistic- I have ADHD and was assessed for autism at the same time, and it was a resounding no.

Like others have said, sometimes a hyperlexic will be autistic, sometimes not. Your little one sounds like a bright wee button, maybe just enjoy that for now 🙂

Itsnotover · 20/12/2021 15:06

Thanks for your replies. She's just had her 2nd birthday and I'd say her response to her new toys has been fairly typical & trying to play with them appropriately. One of my other children is NT and she's nearly 18. I keep thinking back and dd4 is probably more like her as a toddler than my two girls who have an autism diagnosis (or like me for that matter).

I took her to soft play for the first time the other day and she was saying 'hello' to the other children. She's due to start nursery soon so I'm assuming they will pick up on any concerns.

I won't mind if she's on the spectrum, I'm just trying to look out really. Because autistic children can be as different from each other as they are from NT children sometimes. In the US, there seems to be a push to force autistic children to respond like NT children and it makes me cringe tbh. Videos of parents forcing a response from their children. Sad

Firstimedad · 23/10/2024 20:39

Anon778833 · 13/12/2021 09:21

For context, I’m autistic and two of my 4 daughters also are (at least). I'm not sure if I should have posted this in SN.

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 which seems strange to me tbh. Hyperlexia is almost always a symptom of autism isn't it?

Being autistic myself, my own social skills probably aren't great and I'm not sure what I should be doing to help her socially as that could turn out to be a problem.

Hi any news ? ☺️

Firstimedad · 23/10/2024 20:39

Itsnotover · 20/12/2021 15:06

Thanks for your replies. She's just had her 2nd birthday and I'd say her response to her new toys has been fairly typical & trying to play with them appropriately. One of my other children is NT and she's nearly 18. I keep thinking back and dd4 is probably more like her as a toddler than my two girls who have an autism diagnosis (or like me for that matter).

I took her to soft play for the first time the other day and she was saying 'hello' to the other children. She's due to start nursery soon so I'm assuming they will pick up on any concerns.

I won't mind if she's on the spectrum, I'm just trying to look out really. Because autistic children can be as different from each other as they are from NT children sometimes. In the US, there seems to be a push to force autistic children to respond like NT children and it makes me cringe tbh. Videos of parents forcing a response from their children. Sad

Hi
any updates on your DD? ☺️

Original poster
Anon778833 · 23/10/2024 20:50

Hi, yes I do have quite a lot of an update. Dd started school in September. I would say at this point, today, that I'm pretty sure she's on the spectrum with a PDA presentation. She's still very bright but struggles emotionally. She is much more social than any of us on the spectrum but that too is fairly typical of a PDA presentation.

She gets very upset over small things (to the rest of us) and doesn't eat very much variety at all. She definitely needs much more care than NT children her age.

I was very worried about starting school but she's gone to a private school with very small class sizes and is super happy.

OP posts:
Original poster
Anon778833 · 23/10/2024 21:05

She has very advanced speech for her age and sounds like a much older person. She has an excellent memory and spends a lot of time spelling out words on our fridge and talking about what they mean.

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