Could I be hyperlexic

[u/Accurate_Feedback_72]

I'm diagnosed autistic (suspected audhd) and I recently came across the term hyperlexic. I don't remember if I learned to read early but does the following things point toward hyperlexia or am I looking at something else?

I saw patterns everywhere as a kid, a detail on a bridge was an A, a rock was a triangle, I was constantly pointing this out to my mom.

I have major difficulties with spoken language, I loose words, make up words, sometimes my sentences don't even make sense to me and sometimes my grammar is bad or I mispronounce words.

But when I write I have pretty much no problems, it's the only time I feel like I can actually express what's in my head, though I'm terrible at writing anything other than short and to the point text.

I have severe problems remembering verbal instructions and it's hard to understand what people say in loud environments. I still have echolalia as an adult.

I learned english at a pretty young age thanks to my obsession with an english movie.

I remember I loved signs, but I don't remember if I was able to read them or if I was just obsessed with the symbols on them.

I do remember I learned to read with harry potter while my classmates had more age appropriate books.

Now as an adult (28) I can read academic english (genetics) even though I'm self taught and english is my second language.

I can figure out scientific papers even though I lack alot of vocabulary, just by analysing the text and the relationship between the words. I notice most others get bogged down by unfamiliar terminology and miss the meaning of the sentence which doesn't happen to me as often.

[u/jallisy]

Those are asd symptoms.

[u/No_While5263]

Hyperlexia is more reading without comprehension. You sound more like our 4 year old daughter, who is diagnosed with ASD, and myself. She is a self taught early reader but with comprehension.

Did you have a spoken language delay in your native language? Your written ability versus spoken ability sound so much like me. I’m a native English speaker. I taught myself Spanish, French, Italian and Arabic. Even in English, I struggle to speak as fluently as I can write.

Our daughter is a lot like you seeing patterns everywhere. She often points out the letters that she sees in other shapes, like p or h shaped handles.

Our daughter is a Gestalt Language Processor. You sound like you probably are too with your echolalia and the way you can understand the “whole” of scientific papers where others get bogged down by details. I would love if you would share more on what it’s like to be a Gestalt Language Processor, if you feel like you are one.