| While many people have heard of dyslexia, most | | | | Due to his fascination with the written word, a |
| do not know what hyperlexia is. This disorder is | | | | hyperlexic child often does not interact well with |
| basically the opposite of dyslexia and often goes | | | | others. He may exhibit abnormal and awkward |
| undiagnosed as it is more difficult to determine. | | | | social skills and have problems relating to his peers. |
| Hyperlexia is a learning disorder that involves | | | | The child may have difficulties engaging in |
| children who exhibit an above normal ability to | | | | conversations. This may be due to the fact that |
| read at a very young age while their | | | | many of these children learned to read by |
| communication and comprehension skills are below | | | | repetition, a process that they carry over into |
| normal. In other words, a child may begin reading | | | | verbal conversation. This child may be able to |
| full sentences at a very early age (some as early | | | | repeat spoken words that he has just heard, but |
| as two) while not fully comprehending or having | | | | does not do well when asked to express his own |
| the ability to perform a simple verbal retell of the | | | | thoughts or opinions. |
| information that he has just read. Most parents of | | | | A child suffering from hyperlexia may also display |
| these children have reported that they did not | | | | an exaggerated need to follow a routine and may |
| teach the child to read and were surprised when | | | | become upset if that routine is disrupted. He also |
| the child began to pick up the ability on their own. | | | | may have difficulties making transitions from one |
| While some children that begin reading before | | | | task to another. This symptom is especially |
| preschool age are not hyperlexia and have no | | | | apparent in the classroom setting, where the child |
| difficulties in school, hyperlexic children have | | | | is expected to finish one task and then move on |
| problems with reading comprehension as well as | | | | to the next. The youngster may become |
| difficulties with learning phonics. For children who | | | | emotionally upset or may just refuse to make |
| are beginning to read, phonics are an important | | | | this transition. |
| key to help them figure out words that they are | | | | If you feel that your child may be suffering from |
| not familiar with by "sounding" the words out. | | | | hyperlexia, you should contact your family doctor. |
| Children with this disorder recognize words from | | | | You should be warned, however, that the |
| memory and thus have difficulties when they | | | | identification and study of hyperlexia is a relatively |
| come across words that they have never seen | | | | new field. If you have an older doctor, he may |
| before. | | | | not be familiar with the condition. As most children |
| Hyperlexia also affects a child's verbal skills. | | | | are diagnosed with hyperlexia once they have |
| Children who suffer from this disorder have a | | | | entered school, you can contact your school |
| fixation with letters and words but have significant | | | | psychologist who should have information and a |
| difficulty with spoken language. A hyperlexic child | | | | list of specialists that you can talk to decide the |
| may be able to read a whole story at a very | | | | best educational program for your child. |
| young age, but when questioned about the | | | | Early intervention is the best treatment in dealing |
| information that he has read, he is unable to | | | | with hyperlexia. The younger that the child is |
| understand what he has read clearly. He will | | | | when he is diagnosed will make it easier to retrain |
| especially have difficulty answering the "W" | | | | his mind to read in a different manner that will |
| questions-who, what, when, how, and why. | | | | improve his comprehension and verbal skills. These |
| Teaching the child to comprehend material after | | | | are two important factors to having a successful |
| he has been reading for several years can be a | | | | academic career. |
| long and difficult process. | | | | |