Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums When do you consider your child a reader?

I have seen alot of posts that say, my child started reading at 2.5 or 3 or 5.

How do you know if your child is a reader? Is it when they can sound out words, or when they read a board book for the first time. Mabe it is when they start regulary reading signs. Or when they can read chapter books fluently. What is the typical age range for children to start reading.

So I guess my question is. What constitutes a reader?