There seems like some controversy about whether hyperlexia is part of asd, some people have hyperlexia as part of asd and some have it alone and none of the so called experts seem to agree on whether it is or isn't. I have hyperlexia read fluently at 2 and have been dx with asd as I fit criteria, but some of the difficulties i have are a bit different to classic aspergers eg auditory processing., which means i process what i hear later and have rote responses to conversations because i don't process the information and process at very deep level reach conclusion that i'm not able to demonstrate ot others but find conclusions i made 20 years earlier get discovered by someone else.
My son is different he has autism late talker but same auditory processing, he could play chess at 3 from memory i presume i can't play now, it is interesting that his cognitive strength and weakness are opposite to mine.
We both have had serious mental health problems undx which is why I have had to find out everything I can on the areas of brain affected and how to improve functioning. and we exacerbate eachother, it was the same with my father who was classic aspergeres but dx with manic depression as teenager
I'm interested in others thoughts on this
Not all autistic individuals have hyperlexia, and not all children with hyperlexia have autism, although evidence shows that hyperlexia is a phenomenon that is observed with greater frequency in Autistic Spectrum people than amongst NTs.
I strongly feel that hyperlexia is an autism spectrum condition.
The paper below would seem to support Amy's view:
Am J Ment Retard. 1993 Jul;98(1):84-92.
Autism with hyperlexia: a distinct syndrome?
Tirosh E, Canby J.
Hannah Khoushy Child Development Center, Bnei Zion Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
Family and medical histories, autistic and dysmorphic features, and neurological status of 5 children with autism and hyperlexia and 5 sex and IQ-matched children with autism and no hyperlexia were compared. Results showed that the children with hyperlexia displayed more persistent echolalia, superior visual motor performance, and more favorable response to vestibular stimulation. These children performed better than did their matched controls in the physical and neurological assessment. Two of these children, one of whom had a sibling with hyperlexia, presented with macrocephaly. Both groups had a similar incidence of dysmorphic features, computerized tomographic and EEG abnormalities, and family morbidity. Results suggest that children with autism and hyperlexia probably represent part of the continuum of autism rather than a specific syndrome.
PMID: 8373566[/i]
By the way, you are very welcome here Florrie. :smile:
Thanks for responses, intersting to hear those on spectrum views, I have the same symptoms as asd so i've thought it probably is a sub type of some sort, but i suppose no one exhibits the same symptoms or has the same cognitive strengths and weaknesses anyway, everyone is different on the spectrum anyway.
Family and medical histories, autistic and dysmorphic features, and neurological status of 5 children with autism and hyperlexia and 5 sex and IQ-matched children with autism and no hyperlexia were compared. Results showed that the children with hyperlexia displayed more persistent echolalia, superior visual motor performance, and more favorable response to vestibular stimulation. These children performed better than did their matched controls in the physical and neurological assessment. Two of these children, one of whom had a sibling with hyperlexia, presented with macrocephaly. Both groups had a similar incidence of dysmorphic features, computerized tomographic and EEG abnormalities, and family morbidity. Results suggest that children with autism and hyperlexia probably represent part of the continuum of autism rather than a specific syndrome.
PMID: 8373566[/i]
Yes, my dx included hyperlexia as a significant feature of my AS. I LOVE the written word!
Alison