You’re listening to the Turn Autism Around podcast, episode number 141, and I’m your host, Dr. Mary Barbera. Today is a solo show with just me talking about one topic, and that topic is hyperlexia. If you don’t know what hyperlexia is, we’ll define it, describe it, and talk about the signs, diagnosis, and treatment. This episode is for you if you have a child or client who is hyper-focused on letters and words, and maybe even reading without being formally taught. That is what we call hyperlexia. We’ll cover strategies, nuances, and answer common questions, like: If my child knows his letters but isn’t talking, is that hyperlexia plus autism? Is hyperlexia a good sign or a bad sign? And how can we use it to our advantage? I’m so glad you’re listening to this episode all about hyperlexia, which is quite common in children with autism. It can also be an early sign or red flag for autism when a child is overly interested in or obsessed with letters. Despite being able to read well, children with hyperlexia often show signs of developmental disorders such as autism. While an early interest in letters and reading can sometimes be a sign of giftedness, this is usually when language is intact and the child is otherwise developing typically. In contrast, kids with early hyperlexia and autism often have delayed or impaired receptive language—their ability to understand words. They may also display behavioral problems, insistence on sameness, lining up letters, or wanting adults to repeat words or letters often. For example, if a two-year-old isn’t pointing, isn’t saying “mommy” or “daddy,” isn’t requesting items, but is showing a strong interest in letters, that’s often hyperlexia combined with developmental delays—and likely a sign of autism. Let me give you a few stories to put this in context. When my son Lucas, now 25, was little, he showed early signs of hyperlexia. At restaurants, he would point to letters in signs and name them, sometimes substituting what he’d memorized from puzzles. For instance, instead of saying “E,” he’d say “egg,” because that’s what his alphabet puzzle taught him. At the time, I thought this was a sign of intelligence. It wasn’t bad, but I didn’t realize it was part of autism. Another child I worked with, whom I’ll call Nick, was in sixth grade when I first met him. Despite his age, his language skills were at the level of a three- to four-year-old. He could read fluently—on my first visit, he read a passage about September 11th aloud—but his comprehension was almost nonexistent. When he read about planes crashing into towers, he made “crash” noises, showing he didn’t grasp the meaning of what he’d just read. He also knew math facts by rote but couldn’t apply them to real-life problems. More recently, I spoke with a mom of a two-year-old who knew all his letters and could count to ten. She thought this was proof of how smart he was. But he wasn’t saying “mommy” or “daddy,” was having behavioral outbursts, and couldn’t tolerate simple things like doctor visits. His hyperfocus on letters was giving her false reassurance, just as it once did for me with Lucas. It’s important to understand that knowing letters early does not guarantee “high-functioning” autism, nor does it mean a child won’t have intellectual disability. Many children I’ve worked with who showed hyperlexia also had both autism and intellectual disability. According to WebMD, 84% of children with hyperlexia also have autism, and 6–14% of children with autism display hyperlexia. So while not all kids with autism have hyperlexia, when you do see early reading paired with language delays, it’s more likely than not connected to autism. So, what do we do about it? First, don’t panic. Hyperlexia isn’t a bad sign by itself—it can be used to your advantage. For example, one of my clients only ate gluten-free crackers and almond milk from a bottle at age two. He loved letters, so we used a letter puzzle as reinforcement during feeding therapy, which helped expand his diet. Letters and numbers, being one- or two-syllable sounds, can also help with articulation practice and combining sounds into functional words. That said, we must be careful. If a young child isn’t yet talking functionally, avoid overemphasizing letters, numbers, shapes, or colors. Instead, focus on functional words like “juice,” “up,” “mama,” and “daddy.” Otherwise, language can become “hyperfocused” and sound odd, and valuable time may be lost that should be spent building practical communication. With older children, hyperlexia can sometimes be harnessed using written prompts, checklists, or visual schedules to increase independence, much like I did with Nick in his school and work programs. Early fascination with letters and numbers is called hyperlexia. On its own, it can be a sign of giftedness, but when paired with speech delays and poor comprehension, it’s often linked to autism. Hyperlexia doesn’t guarantee good outcomes—it can mask deeper issues like poor receptive language, behavioral challenges, or intellectual disability. Use a child’s interest in letters and numbers carefully: as reinforcement, for articulation, and to build functional skills—not as the sole focus. Always prioritize functional language and comprehension over rote memorization. If you’d like to learn more, check out my book Turn Autism Around, where I lay out what to teach and in what order, especially for young children. You can also watch my free workshop at marybarbera.com/workshop for more practical strategies. And if you’ve benefited from this podcast, my book, or my online courses, I’d love to hear your success story. Go to marybarbera.com/success to share your review, picture, or video. Together, we can spread the word and help more children reach their fullest potential.
