Hyperlexia

[Yxzl]

For background, my DS is 3 and awaiting an assessment for ASD but no diagnosis yet. He has many words (approx 50+) but doesn't use them to communicate, just labels things.

For a long time he has been utterly obsessed with numbers and letters but last week we realised he can read whole words and put meaning to them. I haven't taught him to read so we think it's from subtitles on the TV and books. Its difficult to estimate but I'd say he can read about 30 words but there's probably more that he recognises. His words are just labels like his language at the moment. He doesn't phonetically spell, just rote memory. I've tried to encourage him to use magnet letters to spell but at the moment he just likes to arrange them into the alphabet.

We've been passed from pillar to post with SLT, we've had 2 assessments and have been waiting 8 months for any actual therapy at all and are still waiting. At the last assessment they told me his communication was so behind he wouldn't benefit from PECS and he doesn't mimic so makaton isn't really an option. He had a paediatrician appointment today and I told the doctor about his reading but they just sort of shrugged it off.

I'm wondering if anyone else has had any experience trying to utilise reading before verbal communication is really in place? My son really loves watching me write words he recognises and I can tell he's enjoying the communication aspect of it but I don't know how to take it further to help him communicate his needs.

You've had much more knowledgeable advice than I could give you.

In my ignorance I might try a sort of PECS with written words. Make some little laminated words with "milk" and "water", or a choice of 2 snacks including his favourite, and when he interacts with one of them give him the thing. Try to build cause and effect. Or give him some written labels and corresponding physical objects on a tray, just watch him play with them and give commentary on what he's doing, starting to build towards a matching game if you can but focus on joining in rather than directing him. Give him little laminated words he can manipulate that relate to physical objects in your house. Maybe when he's watched you write a word, extend the game by literally sticking that word onto the object with blutack. If he likes that he might start asking for specific labels or helping to put them on. However the people who have told you not to do pecs know a great deal more about this than I do.

Similar with signing really, you've been advised against so maybe this is a terrible idea, but if there is any doubt is there harm in trying it? Maybe he doesn't overtly mimic actions but hasn't he learned to read by copying you? And probably other things like how to open a book, or feed himself. Follow his interests - not all kids sign "milk" and "more" first. Mine didn't sign for ages, and then when they did it was only animal names. So suddenly we needed to learn a LOT of animal names! Try a wide range of vocab, low stress, and see what sticks. Be aware that one of the "milk" signs is also a common stim.

It's a bit off piste when the problem is expressive communication, but I would also suggest reading up on Montessori methods. The focus on using real things rather than toys where possible, making things accessible and not overwhelming, giving the child agency while not demanding too much of them. It's not teaching expressive communication explicitly, but for us it removed hidden blockers we hadn't been aware of. Sorry for the essay.

Take a look at @andnextcomesL on insta

I actually learned to read like this. I was also an early "proper" reader - but I learned the words just as shapes I recognised first. My Mum says she noticed that after a certain point when I learned a new one I would forget an old one - so it was a bit like a shopping list with fixed capacity. I suspect it's a different bit of memory than "normal" reading, but great that your DS is so interested in pattern-spotting/recognition!

DD is autistic and also started off with a big vocabulary to label things but not used to ask things. She did interact with them though (e.g. she enjoyed being asked to find things in a book and then pointing at them, or me pointing at things and asking her what they were) - would your DS enjoy/be able to do that?

I'm afraid I'm definitely not an expert though - but I think the earlier suggestions to try your own version of PECs are good. Is it worth trying some communication software on tablet too? He's probably a bit young but you could always go back to it later if he doesn't take to it. I think the ones used by pre-verbal kids like ProLoQuo2Go are spendy, but there may be some cheaper or free options that are worth trying. If you ask on the Nurturing Neurodiversity Facebook page, there are quite a lot of parents of pre-verbal and pre-diagnosis young kids there who might have ideas/know what is available.

In terms of broader communication/interaction, we also got this book out of the library when DD was young. A lot of the activities she was just totally disinterested in but some of them she found engaging and fun. Might be worth a look?

www.wob.com/en-gb/books/tara-delaney/101-games-and-activities-for-children-with-autism-asperger-s-and-sensory-process/9780071623360?gclid=CjwKCAjw0a-SBhBkEiwApljU0tOWGra2wj4nlyt3QvYYMBiDJS6xQODNyN2ZcpKDweoSNC2hWtNytBoCQLAQAvD_BwE

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I'll definitely be trying these. So far I've just been following him around with a chalk board and writing whatever he's doing or playing with and he's enjoying it. Although he's stopped saying most of the words he started with now and just smiles and giggles but will repeat new words, like he's bored with ones he already knows. I might try post-it notes as a sort of home-made pecs as he tends to try to eat blu tack!

He has quite limited understanding and doesn't really respond to demands. Pointing has always been an issue and he won't point to show or share attention at all, if he does point its only when he's labelling something to himself in his play. I've tried to make a matching card game with shapes but he didn't quite get it, mostly just organised them in his own way.

I've heard about assisted communication technology but he's never taken to tech that well, he tends to paw it and get frustrated with the apps I've tried him on but I suppose it's always worth another go now that he's enjoying words.