Hyperlexia
Before I knew that my daughter was autistic, I learned that she was hyperlexic. Hyperlexia is when a child has a very strong interest in numbers and letters when they are small. They go on to teach themselves to read between 2 and 4. These children crack the code of reading easily as they have great pattern recognition. For hyperlexic children reading is the easiest way to take in information (easier than by hearing). If there are difficulties with communication one common bit of useful advice is “When in doubt write it out.
Lesson 1: Schools may not off accommodations specific to every neurological topic, but you can often look to similar accommodations that fall within more common diagnoses. Boston Public Schools do not offer specific accommodations for hyperlexic students, but since there is a strong overlap with autism (many hyperlexic children are also autistic) similar accommodations can be helpful. In the early grades allowing a child to read, while their peers are learning to read, is one simple accommodation that could be offered.
Lesson 2: Find alternative ways to support the child’s reading growth. For example, allowing the child to start writing earlier would be good as an alternative form of communication.
Resources:
Facebook: Parents of hyperlexic children and hyperlexic adults share information about hyperlexia: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Hyperlexia