What is?
Hyperlexia can be understood as a syndrome, which comprises symptoms such as a high reading ability and a a kind of obsession with letters and numbers, but accompanied by a kind of delay in other areas of the development. This syndrome can be understood from three main characteristics: early reading ability, difficulty in dealing with oral language is social inadaptation of behaviors.
For a long time, hyperlexic children were diagnosed based on autism references, since there are few studies and mechanisms for diagnosis.
How to diagnose?
Some characteristics can lead to the diagnosis of hyperlexia, among them, priority should be given to the child's early interaction with letters and numbers. From 18 months onwards, hyperlexic children begin to demonstrate a differentiated ability to identify letters and numbers, and From approximately 3 years of age, these children are able to recognize the grouping of letters and form words, even if they do not meaning in context. Thus, it is likely that this child will be able to read entire sentences, even if he is not proficient in oral language like other children his age. We must remember that not all children with hyperlexia have the same development of their condition. Another peculiarity of hyperlexic children, to which attention should be paid during the diagnosis period, is their attachment to routine. A hyperlexic child hardly accepts changes in their schedules and activities, they try to find patterns in all situations.
the hyperlexic child
Hyperlexia is not a consequence of any teaching method, that is, the ability to read as it happens in these cases is not something taught, there are no instructions for the child to act in such a way. This child simply learns to decode words by identifying the letters and their groupings.
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The fact that a hyperlexic child has difficulties in social relationships does not mean that these should not be encouraged. There are numerous benefits linked to the experience of these children in relation to children with normal development, among them, oral stimulation stands out. For the hyperlexic child, the normal child is someone who talks a lot, but this interaction allows the child to recognize the functional aspects of oral communication.
At school
Some pedagogical positions advocate the creation of special rooms for hyperlexics, since the presence of a hyperlexic child in the students implies some changes in the routine of teachers, coordination and students, for example, adjustments in the curriculum and flexibility of the program. teaching. However, it is important for both normal children and the hyperlexic child who are exposed to relationship with other children in different conditions, so that they can recognize different ways of to communicate. On the other hand, teachers must be prepared to creatively use the ability to deal with words and numbers so that it becomes a truly valuable experience for everyone.
Where can I find more information?
There are few publications on hyperlexia in Brazil. A few years ago, the author Susan Martins Miller published, by the Nova Alvorada publishing house in Belo Horizonte, the book “Lendo muitoprende” (Reading very early), which explains with a lot clarity the conditions and implications of hyperlexia in the lives of children and adults, in addition, some associations of parents of autistic children have been working to disclose the particularities of the syndrome on their websites, which generates a content that is very rich in details of the experience of living with someone hyperlexic.
Juliana Spinelli Ferrari
Brazil School Collaborator
Graduated in Psychology from UNESP - Universidade Estadual Paulista
Brief psychotherapy course by FUNDEB - Foundation for the Development of Bauru
Master's Student in School Psychology and Human Development at USP - University of São Paulo
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
FERRARI, Juliana Spinelli. "Hyperlexia"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/psicologia/hiperlexia.htm. Accessed on June 29, 2021.