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Hyperlexia in autistic adults

Lotus

Recently the subject of hyperlexia came up on another thread where I briefly discussed it, but I've since been wondering if it can help mask autism.

Hyperlexia in children is categorized by word reading ability well above what would be expected for their age, and an intense fascination for written material from an early age. It is now thought that there are three types of hyperlexia, and type 2 occurs in children with autism - they often prefer books and magnetic letters over other toys, and frequently remember important numbers like license plates and birth dates.

In adults, hyperlexia includes preferring written communication over verbal conversation, feeling more comfortable writing than speaking, a love of language, patterns & wordplay, and getting lost in a book. Here is a link to a fuller description:

https://www.sagebrushcounseling.com/blog/hyperlexia-in-adults

I'm wondering if an ability to be incredibly articulate in writing helps mask verbal communication problems?

Parents

  • I think have some of this.

    My reading age was well ahead of my actual age at school. 

    I do sometimes turn captions on for English things just to read them. I write better than I talk. I prefer written things as I can reread them. I don't read particularly fast though.

    My communication issues are not from language ability, but from communication style and processing differences. It also allows you to intellectualise and avoid feelings, or at least encode them differently.

    It does make it easier to look like you are ok. It also makes it harder for you to know what to do with things you don't have the words for. I think you may become more confused.

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  • I think have some of this.

    My reading age was well ahead of my actual age at school. 

    I do sometimes turn captions on for English things just to read them. I write better than I talk. I prefer written things as I can reread them. I don't read particularly fast though.

    My communication issues are not from language ability, but from communication style and processing differences. It also allows you to intellectualise and avoid feelings, or at least encode them differently.

    It does make it easier to look like you are ok. It also makes it harder for you to know what to do with things you don't have the words for. I think you may become more confused.

Children
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