“The precocious ability to read words without prior training in learning to read, typically before the age of 5.”
Definition by Norman E. Silberberg and Margaret C. Silberberg (1967)
My son is different.
El has just turned 3.5, and, like most children his age, he strives for independence, needs lots of cuddles, and wears his heart on his sleeve. Unlike most children his age, he can read.
At around 12 months old, he developed an intense fascination with the ABC magnets on the fridge. By the time he was 16 months old, he knew all the upper- and lowercase letters, never once confusing b, d, p, or q. He was equally drawn to numbers; at 2 years old, El was counting and sequencing numbers from one to twenty.
Before turning 3, El could read and spell multiple words; when writing this post, he read full sentences. He has never been taught how to do any of this. In fact, my passion for encouraging play meant that, for some time, I was seeking alternative ways to engage my son. It wasn’t long before I realized this was El’s way of playing.
Emotional conflict
When El’s developmental differences became more apparent, we were living in the Northern Japan Alps, so we were culturally, linguistically, and geographically isolated. This seclusion, combined with my intense love for my child, resulted in a profound emotional conflict.
Since his fixation with symbols began, I have been simultaneously amazed, baffled, scared, proud, and sad. I was scared because I didn’t know if I could support my son and had no idea where to turn. Sad because I had to let go of some of the expectations I’d built up around parenting. I know this sounds odd, but it’s true. I had been looking forward to seeing El do some of the funny things other kids do: mixed-up counting, pretend reading, and even playing with toys.
Needless to say, I was also intensely proud of him and loved that I had to reevaluate my concepts of play. I had long had a peripheral interest in neurodiversity, so having a child who connected with the world differently was a joy. However, during those early days, I felt lost and excited about our future together.
What a funny thing to worry about
El consistently takes my breath away, but when I realized he was developing differently, I worried, too. What would his differences mean for him growing up? How could I better support him, and what kind of support should I seek? I didn’t (and still don’t) want to change him, but I recognized that his atypical development might cause him some difficulties in the neurotypical world in which we live.
Since we were living in Japan, cultural and linguistic differences also complicated our ability to access suitable advice and resources.
Bizarrely, one of my biggest struggles was that I believed I couldn’t talk about any of this in case it sounded like I was bragging; I mean, back then, our greatest concern was that our 2-year-old could read.
Seriously, who worries that their child can read too young?
Answer: Parents of children with hyperlexia.
What is Hyperlexia?
Hyperlexia is commonly described as follows:
- A precocious ability to read, far above what would be expected at a child’s age
- An intense fascination with letters or numbers
- Unusual development of receptive and expressive language
If you are unfamiliar with hyperlexia, it may seem like a dream to have a child who can learn to read so easily. However, some obstacles come from asynchronized learning. Some of the issues that affect/have affected my son include:
- An obsession with numbers and letters that interferes with other forms of play
- “Quirky” language development
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- pronoun reversal, “Mummy, carry you.”
- difficulty answering Wh questions, such as: “What’s your name?” “How old are you?”
- Self-stimulatory behaviour (stimming): primarily spinning and utilization of peripheral vision
- Anxiety about certain noises, environments, or even words
- Difficulties with social play: although keen to play with other children, El is slightly disconnected from the games his peers play
In isolation, these issues are not insurmountable, but they indicate areas where intervention may be necessary. You may also recognize some of these challenges as key traits in Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC). My son has no diagnosis (yet)*. Nor has he been evaluated; however, since relocating from Japan, we have referrals in place.
Neurotypes and Neurodiversity
El played with little else from age 1 up.
You may wonder, how can I be so sure El is hyperlexic without any professional evaluation?
Because, by definition, hyperlexia is the ability to read way beyond what is typically expected of an age. Typically, children with hyperlexia can read at three without any formal teaching. Some children are intensely fascinated with letters and numbers, preferring to play with ABCs instead of other toys.
If you spend a day with El, there is no doubt he is hyperlexic. When playing with blocks, Playdoh, or even pipe cleaners, he wants to create an alphabet!
Like other neurodiverse diagnoses, hyperlexia is complex, variable, and not fully understood. It can be a neurotype in its own right or coexist with other neurotypes. Children with hyperlexia grow into hyperlexic adults. Their brains are wired in a way that makes decoding text simpler than speech.
It is incredible to watch hyperlexia unfold and to see a child seemingly “know” skills that most people have to work hard to learn. To better support my son, I read, study, educate, and advocate.
Three Types of Hyperlexia
To complicate things, hyperlexia is not a simple list of symptoms, behaviours, or unusual developmental advances and delays. Current thinking indicates there are three types of hyperlexia:
Type One: Neurotypical Hyperlexia
The child displays an uncanny ability to read from a young age but is neurotypical in all other areas.
Type Two: Autistic Hyperlexia
The child displays an uncanny ability to read from a young age and is autistic.
Type Three: Non-Neurotypical Hyperlexia
The child displays an uncanny ability to read from a young age and displays some autistic traits that fade by the time the child reaches 6 years old. Children with type-three hyperlexia are frequently misdiagnosed; when they “grow out of” autism, there is a lot of confusion, and that can result in controversy and misinformation.
NOTE: A person is either autistic or not. Autism is a neurotype, not a disorder to be ‘cured.’ Importantly, a person can be non-neurotypical and non-autistic. Yup, it is a labyrinth.
Some FAQs.
Is your son autistic?
Maybe. That is a professional diagnosis that may/may not come after our referrals. *UPDATE: El was diagnosed autistic about a year after this blog was written. He still loves life (and grew out of playing with ABCs).
Do you worry about him being autistic?
He is an incredible kid: happy, funny, kind, smart, and healthy. I wouldn’t change him for the world. So, no.
Is your son hyperlexic?
Yes. Not only can he read English books, he can also read two Japanese alphabets (ひらがな (hiragana) and カタカナ (katakana))!
Do you worry that your child is developing differently from his peers?
Yes, sometimes. But not because of who he is; rather, I worry about who other people are. People can be cruel when faced with anything unfamiliar or different. I want to build up El’s emotional firewall so that he can be resilient, strong, and love his neurotype.
What do you mean by neurotype, and why is it important?
There are multiple neurotypes. Neurotypical people accept their neurotype and sometimes find other “types” alarming, fascinating, or “weird.” On the other hand, neurodivergent people often feel the need to appear “more normal” to avoid bullying, pass job interviews, and even be accepted by their own families. This distinction automatically puts neurodivergent people at a disadvantage. I believe it is time this changed.
It is time to accept that different neurotypes are a natural part of human existence. One of the most important things my son has taught me is that different neurotypes are awesome; they are not to be pitied, ashamed of, worried about, or cured.
Hyperlexia sounds like a superpower because it is. And, guess what, other neurotypes are wonderful too.
Further Reading
And Next Comes L – this was one of the first blogs I encountered. It was also one of my first blog subscriptions. There are tons of stories, ideas, and resources.