Guest guest Posted April 5, 2007 Report Share Posted April 5, 2007 Hi Holly, Your definition of Hyperlexia is pretty much what I've understood it to be for the past 18 years or so, when my son's pre-school teacher mentioned that he was hyperlexic. However, in doing recent research for my ASD baby, I've found that there is a social deficit aspect with Hyperlexia, similar to that found in Aspergers. As a matter of fact, my son is diagnosed with Aspergers, despite the fact that he did have a language delay. The criteria for hyperlexia is very similar to Aspergers except it does account for a language delay. It's my opinion that this is just another variation on the Autism spectrum. Kim --- Holly Bortfeld <maximom@...> wrote: > Hyperlexia is a disease of it's own. You can > have both or only one. My son > has both. Hyperlexia is the ability to decode > words but not comprehend > them. Dyslexia is the inability to decode but > you can comprehend. NSLD is > when you can't do either. My son can read > anything you put in front of him > phonetically - a newspaper, anything, but > cannot answer wh questions about > it nor explain what he read. :-( > > > > > > > > > > Hey, the " ONE LESS " commercial is on. It's my > favorite! NOT! > > > > _____ > > From: EOHarm > [mailto:EOHarm ] On Behalf Of > christine > Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2007 10:30 PM > EOHarm > Subject: hyperlexia > > > > Does anyone know the difference between > Hyperlexia and Autism? > > Thanks, > > > > > ________________________________________________________________________________\ ____ Now that's room service! Choose from over 150,000 hotels in 45,000 destinations on Travel to find your fit. http://farechase./promo-generic-14795097 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 I would like to connect with one of our members who has noted that she has hyperlexia in a past note. I believe she also gave definitions of the difference between dyslexia and hyperlexia and I think she also wrote a book about her experiences with hyperlexia. I thought I saved your emails for future reference but am unable to find them. Please email me personally, I would like to talk with you about your journey, I am working with a little girl who seems to be dealing with hyperlexia and would appreciate some information. Thanks. Joni polehna@... --- http://USFamily.Net/dialup.html - $8.25/mo! -- http://www.usfamily.net/dsl.html - $19.99/mo! --- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2010 Report Share Posted June 1, 2010 My son comprehends everything he reads--but now he doesn't care for numbers--he doesn't love math, but loves reading. he also HATES writing--physically writing like an essay--it's easier to put an octopus in a bag for real! hahahah My son just finished every Roald Dahl book there was, and has now started on Jerry Spinelli, which is very interesting--he is reading Loser--and the boy in there (so far) sounds like he has Aspergers--I'm wondering what my son is going to say about this kid (he talks about book characters like they are people.) the other day he told someone at the camp-site- well that sounds just like the BFG, he really doesn't like blah, blah, blah. They were like who is the BFG and then he did it with fromt he Giant Peach. He doesn't realize that many adults or even kids do not just associate characters in conversation. Purrs & Kisses, Kristal of Digi Kitty The Kitty who loves Digi! Designer for the VDBC "More" Team - you can see my designs HERE!!! From: mimasdprofile <callis4773 (DOT) com>Subject: Re: ( ) Hyperlexia Date: Monday, May 31, 2010, 1:30 PM My 13yo is hyperlexic, or was. I'm not sure if it applies later in life. is a very good reader. He read, literally, by his second birthday. He knew the alphabet upper and lower case by 18 months. He was fascinated by letters and numbers and would dart away from me to touch signs or license plates. Walking anywhere with him was terrifying. He almost ran in traffic at an extremely busy airport because he wanted to touch a sign and was in total meltdown mode over it. He still loves to read but he got stuck on larger print kid books around 4th grade because of vision problems. Last year had vision therapy and he suddenly caught up and was able to read the whole Percy series of books in no time. The print is very small and there are many of them crammed on one page. Glasses and vision therapy together are what made the biggest difference.> > From: Roxanna <MadIdeas@...>> Subject: Re: ( ) Hyperlexia> > Date: Saturday, May 29, 2010, 8:02 PM> > > > > > > > Â > > > > > > > > > > I don't know of anything that is active still. I just got a book from > > the library, "When babies read" but honestly, my brain is so stuffed > > lately I can't read it. lol. I wonder what happens when these kids > > get older because it seems people are active when they are younger but > > then sorta fade away. My ds is 13 yo and if anyone ever wants to chat > > "hyperlexia" , I would enjoy the conversations. Just post!> > > > Roxanna> > Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.> > > > ( ) Hyperlexia> > > > I agree it sounds like hyperlexia. My ds (4.2) is like that. He started > > reading and writing before 3 and now does so in Chinese too. He can use > > all the common electronics including my iPod to play his shows, listen > > to music, etc. But he does not talk or play with his peers, until > > recently. Roxanne has some good previous posts and also check > > http://www.boards2g o.com/boards/ board.cgi? user=ParentsForu m> > > > I haven't found any group just for hyperlexia that is active and local > > yet. If you guys are interested we can search together. Please let me > > know if you find anything else interesting.> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 2, 2010 Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 I had to laugh reading what you said about social stories. It's the same for us but it did backfire a few times. When was in preschool he set off the fire alarm at school. It said " PULL " so of course he felt this was a direct order and pulled. If we did a social story we'd only need to go through it once and he'd have it permanently ingrained. It was like magic! > > > > > > From: Roxanna <MadIdeas@> > > > Subject: Re: ( ) Hyperlexia > > > > > > Date: Saturday, May 29, 2010, 8:02 PM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >  > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I don't know of anything that is active still. I just got a book from > > > > > > the library, " When babies read " but honestly, my brain is so stuffed > > > > > > lately I can't read it. lol. I wonder what happens when these kids > > > > > > get older because it seems people are active when they are younger but > > > > > > then sorta fade away. My ds is 13 yo and if anyone ever wants to chat > > > > > > " hyperlexia " , I would enjoy the conversations. Just post! > > > > > > > > > > > > Roxanna > > > > > > Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again. > > > > > > > > > > > > ( ) Hyperlexia > > > > > > > > > > > > I agree it sounds like hyperlexia. My ds (4.2) is like that. He started > > > > > > reading and writing before 3 and now does so in Chinese too. He can use > > > > > > all the common electronics including my iPod to play his shows, listen > > > > > > to music, etc. But he does not talk or play with his peers, until > > > > > > recently. Roxanne has some good previous posts and also check > > > > > > http://www.boards2go.com/boards/board.cgi?user=ParentsForum > > > > > > > > > > > > I haven't found any group just for hyperlexia that is active and local > > > > > > yet. If you guys are interested we can search together. Please let me > > > > > > know if you find anything else interesting. > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 2, 2010 Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 I'm glad to see many like-minded kids here. One thing that helps is that by 4 - 5, other kids get what reading and writing is, and a lot of them also like computer games/electronic devices so that our kids don't seem TOO odd any more. Sometimes I think this is evolution working its way to have this trait developed to deal with the digital world. Imagine if all kids can read before 3, how much time we would save in school so they can focus on other stuff. In addition to reading which is " typical " of hyerlexia, my ds also has a couple other " super hyperlexia " quirks. He writes. He started when he was 2 yrs 9 mo and before long he was writing all the time, using beautiful and different fonts, like all caps or lower cases, or the LED type. At 4 he started writing Chinese. Another unique thing he does is he invented his own sign language for all the letters and numbers and some other symbols. He would put his fingers together to make the shapes and does have a consistent system. My ds has been in the school district's program for ASD for improving his social and communication skills and we have seen exciting improvement. One concern we have though is that there is a lot of prompting and drill, which the teachers say they will phase out when the kids are ready. For the most part it seems to be working. I just want my ds to know being creative and unique is OK. His sign language is considered a " stimming " thing so the teachers try to engage/ensure when they see him doing that because it would seem weird to other kids. But if you were an adult that invented a completely new linguistic system, would other adults see you as weird? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 3, 2010 Report Share Posted June 3, 2010 Thank you. DH and I have joked the kids never had a chance. They will love books...*cue maniacal laughter*DH and I are both voracious readers, and early readers, too, though not as early as . We just bought a house with a large breakfast area; so, we decided we really didn't have a need for a formal dining room. We have a library! From: K <kristalstamper@...> Sent: Thu, June 3, 2010 12:34:16 PMSubject: Re: ( ) Re: Hyperlexia Just wanted to say that's awesome that you have that built in snuggle reading time. I still read to my son who is 10--he insists I read to him before he can go to bed--so I read a chatper or two and it's super enjoyable for us. We get to talk about the characters and the choices they made.. I'm a big literacy advocate, so I do all those things--books everywhere, reading books to them since the womb, that type of thing. Reading Magic by mem fox is an awesome book that talks about all that--so in her book you would be a 10!!!! Purrs & Kisses, Kristal of Digi Kitty The Kitty who loves Digi! Designer for the VDBC "More" Team - you can see my designs HERE!!! From: Dollar <jmdollar (DOT) com>Subject: Re: ( ) Re: Hyperlexia Date: Wednesday, June 2, 2010, 8:57 PM My son is a hyperlexic kindergartener reading above his grade level. And while I never tried to teach him, he was reading very early, and spelling out words on the refrigerator with magnets to communicate what he wanted before speaking - under 3. I've found that keeping him supplied with different reading materials keeps him engaged. He has several magazine subscriptions and we go to the library very regularly. But, I know that he is very attached to our snuggle time when I read books to him, too; especially just after I've read a story to baby sister. Its funny the stories that he wants me to read to him are always the same ones over and over again. From: jm.smoldt <jm.smoldt (DOT) com> Sent: Wed, June 2, 2010 1:15:52 PMSubject: ( ) Re: Hyperlexia I believe my son is hyperlexic as well. He learned all of his letters by sight by 18 months old. He learned letter sounds before he turned three and was starting to read by 3 and a half. I never made a concerted effort to teach him any of this, he just picked it up on his own from reading books to him. However, he now doesn't much care for reading even though he is at a 2nd to 3rd grade reading level (he is in kindergarten) . I have to take turns reading paragraphs with him. I think he just gets bored with it too easily.> > > > From: Roxanna <MadIdeas@>> > Subject: Re: ( ) Hyperlexia> > > > Date: Saturday, May 29, 2010,> 8:02 PM> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >  > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I don't know of anything that is active still. I just got a book from > > > > the library, "When babies read" but honestly, my brain is so stuffed > > > > lately I can't read it. lol. I wonder what happens when these kids > > > > get older because it seems people are active when they are younger but > > > > then sorta fade away. My ds is 13 yo and if anyone ever wants to chat > > > > "hyperlexia" , I would enjoy the conversations. Just post!> > > > > > > > Roxanna> > > > Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.> > > > > > > > ( ) Hyperlexia> > > > > > > > I agree it sounds like hyperlexia. My ds (4.2) is like that. He started > > > > reading and writing before 3 and now does so in Chinese too. He can use > > > > all the common electronics including my iPod to play his shows, listen > > > > to music, etc. But he does not talk or play with his peers, until > > > > recently. Roxanne has some good previous posts and also check > > > > http://www.boards2g/ o.com/boards/ board.cgi? user=ParentsForu m> > > > > >> > > I haven't found any group just for hyperlexia that is active and local > > > > yet. If you guys are interested we can search together. Please let me > > > > know if you find anything else interesting.> >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 6, 2010 Report Share Posted June 6, 2010 Hi , Is he also a bit hyperactive? I wondered if that had any effect on his ability to sit and listen to stories being read to him. Or do you think he's just so not interested that he can't sit and listen? My ds is probably a bit of both. Even at Movies that he wants to see - he can't still that long due to hyperactivity. But it also takes a lot for him to be interested enough as well. Usually he just doesn't get that interested. What kind of word play nonsense does he like? Roxanna Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again. ( ) Hyperlexia > > > > > > > > > > > > I agree it sounds like hyperlexia. My ds (4.2) is like that. He > started > > > > > > reading and writing before 3 and now does so in Chinese too. He can > use > > > > > > all the common electronics including my iPod to play his shows, > listen > > > > > > to music, etc. But he does not talk or play with his peers, until > > > > > > recently. Roxanne has some good previous posts and also check > > > > > > http://www.boards2g o.com/boards/ board.cgi? user=ParentsForu m > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I haven't found any group just for hyperlexia that is active and > local > > > > > > yet. If you guys are interested we can search together. Please let > me > > > > > > know if you find anything else interesting. > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 6, 2010 Report Share Posted June 6, 2010 Musicians making music isn't stimming though. I think it is far beyond just not appreciating what they do as a " normal pastime. " The problem is actually far more severe than that. Many times it is not the part that they want to obsess over the numbers or letters that is " not normal " but that they will do so to the exclusion of other things that are necessary. For instance, my ds could not ask for a drink as a young child if he was thirsty but he could recite the alphabet, read and multiply. Well, it's like having a top notch engine in a sports car but no wheels on the car and no way to buy a set either. He couldn't have told you which person in the room was his mother or father. This is not just a lack of our appreciating his love of the alphabet but his development in key areas was severely limited or not existing at all. In our case, people would stop to ask questions about him all the time because he was always spouting off times tables or reciting entire scenes from movies. Cashiers would gawk as he added and subtracted faster than their computer screens. I used to call it " the dog and pony show " because it had no worth except to entertain people passing by. He wasn't out there learning, growing and developing in many important areas. He was stuck doing something over and over again while his other skills were not happening at all. It's not the same as someone making music or being really good at doing something. So it's not that society is just not appreciating their unique " talents " . Roxanna Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again. ( ) Re: Hyperlexia You're right, that's still weird. I guess there are different kinds of " stimming " too, physical, visual, verbal, etc. It's just something they do. Like musicians can't stop making music, they just can't help it, or athletes who have to be doing some physical activity always. Our kids just happen to like to do something not a lot of others recognize as a normal pastime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 7, 2010 Report Share Posted June 7, 2010 Roxanna, I think it is more of a sensory thing. He is a sensory seeker. He is also on the weak/low tone side of things, and compared to his brothers (one older, one younger) he is the least active and wimps out easily. To the aggravation of his brothers, he is often found watching TV upside down, or I will see him writing at the table, but somehow, one leg is involved in holding the paper down and the other leg is straight out through the back slats of the chair. Fiddlig, picking things apart, chewing things, and generally not knowing where his body is in time and space. I think these things, among others compound his inability to attend well. Another factor that makes listening hard is that words/vocabulary don't seem to get into him by osmosis like they do with normal children. Normal children learn vocabulary in context...perhaps hearing the same word in several contexts, they eventually grasp it, but they have enough of a big picture mentality that they can fill in the gaps in their understanding of a story or conversation without much difficulty, and even if they fill in those gaps incorrectly (children are notoriously funny for this), they eventually just figure it out. This does not seem to be the case with my son, and my guess is for more kids on the spectrum also. Lack of ability to fill in gaps in understanding leads to non-comprehension (even wrong comprehension is probably better), and non-comprehension leads to non-listening, which becomes a vicious circle that is difficult to break. This is my theory anyway. He says things like, " Can I captialize my period? " or he freely interchanges first letters, like Varth Dader on purpose. Or makes puns of words, like Mace Window instead of Mace Windu. This is all deliberate on his part. He loves things like palindromes. I can never think of all the good examples when asked. My guess is that in the absence of a " big picture " mentality, his way to cope is to zero in on what he DID understand, and make it interesting/funny, since it lacked the interest that would come naturally with a big picture comprehension of what is going on. Again, just my theory. > > > > > > > > From: Roxanna <MadIdeas@> > > > > Subject: Re: ( ) Hyperlexia > > > > > > > > Date: Saturday, May 29, 2010, > > > 8:02 PM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ÃÆ'‚ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I don't know of anything that is active still. I just got a book > > from > > > > > > > > the library, " When babies read " but honestly, my brain is so > > stuffed > > > > > > > > lately I can't read it. lol. I wonder what happens when these kids > > > > > > > > get older because it seems people are active when they are > younger > > but > > > > > > > > then sorta fade away. My ds is 13 yo and if anyone ever wants to > > chat > > > > > > > > " hyperlexia " , I would enjoy the conversations. Just post! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Roxanna > > > > > > > > Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ( ) Hyperlexia > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I agree it sounds like hyperlexia. My ds (4.2) is like that. He > > started > > > > > > > > reading and writing before 3 and now does so in Chinese too. He > can > > use > > > > > > > > all the common electronics including my iPod to play his shows, > > listen > > > > > > > > to music, etc. But he does not talk or play with his peers, until > > > > > > > > recently. Roxanne has some good previous posts and also check > > > > > > > > http://www.boards2g o.com/boards/ board.cgi? user=ParentsForu m > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I haven't found any group just for hyperlexia that is active and > > local > > > > > > > > yet. If you guys are interested we can search together. Please > let > > me > > > > > > > > know if you find anything else interesting. > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 7, 2010 Report Share Posted June 7, 2010 , Your response to Roxanna could have been me explaining our Austin to anyone! It is so great that someone else "gets it"... We add onto that, and I am not sure if anyone else has this experience, is that he will not report or complain of bruises, scratches, etc. that he gets in just everyday exloring and twisting and spinning and cramming the wrong body parts through the swing set... However, if he is REALLY tired, and I mean, really tired, if one of his brothers even looks at him cross eyed, he will tear up and tattle. (otherwise, he lets anything that happens in play and teasing go- seemingly oblivious to it) Anyone else have this with their ASD kids, or is this just peculiar to my sweet boy? He does not have melt downs (screaming raging stuff) like I have heard some other ASD parents mention- but he does have shutdowns- they can last from hours to days.... He does have that 'anxiety' disorder that many ASD kids have, and we are getting ready on July 5 to go on the GFCF diet, for six months, to see if it will help him at all. We have been researching how we can accomodate our big family on this diet (there are 10 of us) , and have decided that we will ALL go on it. All for one and one for all! Kristi From: ladle24@...Date: Mon, 7 Jun 2010 13:09:40 +0000Subject: ( ) Re: Hyperlexia Roxanna,I think it is more of a sensory thing. He is a sensory seeker. He is also on the weak/low tone side of things, and compared to his brothers (one older, one younger) he is the least active and wimps out easily. To the aggravation of his brothers, he is often found watching TV upside down, or I will see him writing at the table, but somehow, one leg is involved in holding the paper down and the other leg is straight out through the back slats of the chair. Fiddlig, picking things apart, chewing things, and generally not knowing where his body is in time and space. I think these things, among others compound his inability to attend well. Another factor that makes listening hard is that words/vocabulary don't seem to get into him by osmosis like they do with normal children. Normal children learn vocabulary in context...perhaps hearing the same word in several contexts, they eventually grasp it, but they have enough of a big picture mentality that they can fill in the gaps in their understanding of a story or conversation without much difficulty, and even if they fill in those gaps incorrectly (children are notoriously funny for this), they eventually just figure it out. This does not seem to be the case with my son, and my guess is for more kids on the spectrum also. Lack of ability to fill in gaps in understanding leads to non-comprehension (even wrong comprehension is probably better), and non-comprehension leads to non-listening, which becomes a vicious circle that is difficult to break. This is my theory anyway.He says things like, "Can I captialize my period?" or he freely interchanges first letters, like Varth Dader on purpose. Or makes puns of words, like Mace Window instead of Mace Windu. This is all deliberate on his part. He loves things like palindromes. I can never think of all the good examples when asked. My guess is that in the absence of a "big picture" mentality, his way to cope is to zero in on what he DID understand, and make it interesting/funny, since it lacked the interest that would come naturally with a big picture comprehension of what is going on. Again, just my theory.> > > >> > > > From: Roxanna <MadIdeas@>> > > > Subject: Re: ( ) Hyperlexia> > > > > > > > Date: Saturday, May 29, 2010,> > > 8:02 PM> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > > ÃÆ'‚ > > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > > I don't know of anything that is active still. I just got a book> > from> > > >> > > > the library, "When babies read" but honestly, my brain is so> > stuffed> > > >> > > > lately I can't read it. lol. I wonder what happens when these kids> > > >> > > > get older because it seems people are active when they are > younger> > but> > > >> > > > then sorta fade away. My ds is 13 yo and if anyone ever wants to> > chat> > > >> > > > "hyperlexia" , I would enjoy the conversations. Just post!> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > > Roxanna> > > >> > > > Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > > ( ) Hyperlexia> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > > I agree it sounds like hyperlexia. My ds (4.2) is like that. He> > started> > > >> > > > reading and writing before 3 and now does so in Chinese too. He > can> > use> > > >> > > > all the common electronics including my iPod to play his shows,> > listen> > > >> > > > to music, etc. But he does not talk or play with his peers, until> > > >> > > > recently. Roxanne has some good previous posts and also check> > > >> > > > http://www.boards2g o.com/boards/ board.cgi? user=ParentsForu m> > > >> > > >> > > >> > >> > > > I haven't found any group just for hyperlexia that is active and> > local> > > >> > > > yet. If you guys are interested we can search together. Please > let> > me> > > >> > > > know if you find anything else interesting.> > > >> > >> >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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