Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Question re: early spelling vs hyperlexia

I had to reply to this because my son did this a lot when he was in the 2-4 y/o range. He is not autistic, but is PG. He began *trying* to spell words phonetically when he was around two. (He began reading early.) This went on for a year or so. Your "noti" description is a good fit for how mine interacted with letters and trying to spell.

One day I walked into the kitchen and saw "sicad" on the fridge. On closer inspection I noticed that he had placed an empty "cicada" shell on top of the word. It helped me figure out what he had spelled. I only recall him *copying* the spelling of words around the house a few times.

I say all of this because I think it's interesting that yours did spell "noti" and did identify it as "naughty" at such a young age. Maybe if you kept a notebook nearby and jotted down the things he does, you could get a clearer picture. (I'm sure twins keep you busy and leave little time for contemplation!) Ultimately, I too believe that watching his social interactions is going to be of more help than focusing on his spelling and letter interests. Trust your instincts, too.

Mom2MrQ - Thank you for replying! I should definitely start a notebook. Would you say your son taught himself to read by spelling, or that the spelling was an outflow of his reading?
Thank you!

Mayreeh - I think I saw this same tv (newsmagazine) story. My dd was 2yo then and a terrific reader (one of her first words was "readabook" -- it meant that she was about to plop in your lap and you were going to read the book she had hauled over). A couple of family members alerted me to an upcoming program on "early readers." My excitement about there being other early readers out there, turned to dismay as the program unfolded implying that any reading 2 yo has hyperlexia.

She did have some social issues back then - we called it "stranger anxiety," and some well-meaning "friends" were starting to raise questions about autism. It was at that time I started scouring the internet for reassurance.

Juliekd - I can report back to you that my dd is now a delightful 10 yo (and also a twin!). She is socially well adjusted, an insatiable reader and wicked smart, now confirmed by testing. I remember the anxiety when she was little and I think you have gotten some great advice here. Trust your gut.

We also found our pediatrician to be very helpful. She was able to do some quick screening for autism at a well check, and her reassuring conclusions have passed the test of time.

Enjoy your little guys, and watching the miracles unfold before you!

Hmmm... I believe that the *attempt* to spell developed a bit behind his reading attempts. He began to recognize words by sight (memorizing them, I suppose) at 11-12 months. However, it wasn't until a few months afterward that he began to realize that each letter in the alphabet had a sound. He would bring the letters to me when I was in the kitchen and ask what they 'said'. I would tell him and he would absorb that and move on to the next one. He did at first do things like put the letter "c" on one of his "cars" or the letter "d" on his "daddy." Once he knew all of those letters and their sounds, he began trying to spell words --phonetically.

I did wonder at one point if I should teach him phonics, but he was young and I felt a bit weird about that. I decided to let him figure it out on his own. His reading developed quickly once he began to figure out phonics. It was sometimes eerie how he decoded words. He did hit a period where he took his reading underground and wouldn't read to anyone. When he was four I would catch him reading the newspaper or sitting in his closet reading a book, but he did NOT want to read to anyone. We didn't press him at all. It wasn't until he was around five that he finally allowed us to again hear him read. Once he began to read to us, we knew he had been reading a lot all along. His reading was very advanced, but his spelling was STILL mostly phonetic.

We started homeschooling this past fall and with that he has finally shown an interest in correctly spelling words. If I ask a question, he will reply by spelling it. He's pulling it all together quickly. That's been how he learns --in huge, mind-boggling leaps.

I hope some of that might help you down the road as you watch yours grow and develop. I just want to encourage you once again to trust your own instincts. Arm yourself with knowledge and you will eventually come to a place of peace with it all, diagnosis or not.

Amylou - I'm glad your daughter is doing well! Both of our boys seem behind their peers in social situations, but my gut says it's because they're stuck at home a lot with their introverted parents! When we take them to the park or wherever, they seem to find the other kids interesting, but confusing. As a mom, it's really difficult to watch my kids struggle to connect with their agemates, especially when their feelings get hurt, but it's encouraging that they keep trying to connect. Thank you for the kind words!
Mom2MrQ - Thank you for replying again! J & W both have always been very secretive with what they know, and they don't like when we interfere when they're trying to figure something out. I didn't realize J had taught himself letter sounds until he randomly pointed at some blocks and made the sounds. A few weeks after that we realized W knew the sounds too. I've been wondering if I should teach them phonics, but I think I'd just tick them off! I guess it's more fun to discover some things for yourself. Your story about your son reading in the closet made me smile!

My husband and I are both "can-do" kind of people, and if we had a diagnosis for the boys I've no doubt we'd run with whatever information we had to get them whatever they need. As it stands, the more research we do about Autism, the more confused we get! Regardless of whether they are actually autistic or not, they're getting speech & ABA therapy. Hopefully this will help them and they can make some social gains.
Thanks for all the warm responses everyone! You've all been very helpful!
Julie