The Hyperlexia Parents Network

 
 

What is Hyperlexia?


Hyperlexia is a syndrome observed in children who have the following characteristics:


  1. Bullet    A precocious ability to read words, far above what would be expected at their chronological age or an intense fascination with letters or numbers.

  2. Bullet    Significant difficulty in understanding verbal language

  3. Bullet    Abnormal social skills, difficulty in socializing and interacting appropriately with people


In addition, some children who are hyperlexic may exhibit the following characteristics:


  1. Bullet    Learn expressive language in a peculiar way, echo or memorize the sentence structure without understanding the meaning (echolalia), reverse pronouns

  2. Bullet    Rarely initiates conversations

  3. Bullet    An intense need to keep routines, difficulty with transitions, ritualistic behavior

  4. Bullet    Auditory, olfactory and / or tactile sensitivity

  5. Bullet    Self-stimulatory behavior

  6. Bullet    specific, unusual fears

  7. Bullet    Normal development until 18-24 months, then regression

  8. Bullet    Strong auditory and visual memory

  9. Bullet    Difficulty answering "Wh--" questions, such as "what," "where," "who," and "why"

  10. Bullet    Think in concrete and literal terms, difficulty with abstract concepts

  11. Bullet    Listen selectively, appear to be deaf



Why identify children with hyperlexia across diagnostic categories?


  1. Bullet    to understand the common way in which they process language

  2. Bullet    to understand the common way in which they learn

  3. Bullet    to assess strengths in visual processing and reading

  4. Bullet    to devise effective therapeutic and educational programs



Reprinted from the American Hyperlexia Association with permission

 

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Hannah Rose Kovach

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This page is a Hyperlexia page. In the study of Hyperlexia, the experts are still infants.

Parents tend to fall into four camps:



  1. Bullet Hyperlexia is a Stand Alone Condition

  2. Bullet Hyperlexia is a splinter skill of Autism

  3. Bullet Hyperlexia coexists with PPD, SPD, or Spectrum disorders

  4. Bullet My kid is one of those, I think!



         I ask that this group be respected as a Hyperlexia group. All that means is that I will not allow those who INSIST that Hyperlexia cannot be a stand alone diagnosis, and ridicule those whose opinions differ. I get that this is an emotional issue. But I insist on respecting one another. welcome discussion that supports ALL of us. We can disagree without attacking.


On MY page, I also welcome jokes, stories of our personal lives, prayer requests, and stories of our successes. You might even hear me talk about Viggo Mortensen, Outlander, or Thor. What we go through with our kids is tough; sharing the good times, even the silly times, can help us be stronger.


We need each other, and if something you read helps YOU, it might help others. FEEL FREE TO SHARE AND DISCUSS, but respect that others may feel that their child has HYPERLEXIA and HYPERLEXIA alone (like my Hannah Rose).


AND...you are welcome here even if your child DOES NOT have Hyperlexia but shares enough of the symptoms that the conversations help you!


RESPECT, that's all I ask.


RESPECT and the right to somehow stay married to Joe and still date Thor ;-). That's all I ask.


THANK YOU!