Think your child might be hyperlexic? This quiz is geared towards parents who suspect that their child might be hyperlexic.Important note: While this quiz provides insight into hyperlexia related traits, it is not a diagnostic tool, nor is it a substitute for professional diagnosis or advice. It is for educational and informational purposes only. You may use the results as a starting point for discussions with professionals or specialists who can offer you personalized guidance.
Quiz Questions
1.
Has your child read spontaneously and early, before the age of 5, without formal instruction? (e.g., simple words, complex words, nonsense words, full sentences, entire books, words they've never seen before, or a combination)
A.
Yes
B.
No
C.
Unsure
2.
Has your child shown an intense fascination with letters, numbers, logos, maps, or visual patterns? (e.g., identified letters/numbers quite early, preference for alphabet toys, first words might be numbers/letters)
A.
Yes
B.
No
C.
Unsure
3.
Has your child shown difficulty in understanding and developing oral language?
A.
Yes
B.
No
C.
Unsure
4.
Has your child had difficulty initiating and maintaining conversations?
A.
Yes
B.
No
C.
Unsure
5.
Has your child exhibited unusual speech or language development? (e.g., repeats words or phrases (echolalia), mixes up or reverses pronouns, uses unusual sentence structure or incorrect grammar, speaks with rich intonation)
A.
Yes
B.
No
C.
Unsure
6.
Has your child had difficulty answering WH- questions, such as what, where, who, why, and when?
A.
Yes
B.
No
C.
Unsure
7.
Has your child had difficulty understanding abstract concepts or ideas?
A.
Yes
B.
No
C.
Unsure
8.
Has your child shown a tendency to think in concrete and literal terms? (e.g., struggles with figurative language, expressions, or idioms; misses implied meaning; interprets rules or instructions very literally; struggles with interpreting implied meanings or drawing conclusions; challenges with humor or sarcasm)
A.
Yes
B.
No
C.
Unsure
9.
Has your child demonstrated an intense need to develop and maintain routines?
A.
Yes
B.
No
C.
Unsure
10.
Has your child had difficulties with changes or transitions? (e.g., becoming upset when routines are changed or interrupted)
A.
Yes
B.
No
C.
Unsure
11.
Has your child shown strong auditory and visual memory skills?
A.
Yes
B.
No
C.
Unsure
12.
Has your child experienced any specific or unusual fears? (e.g., fictional characters, Happy Birthday song)
A.
Yes
B.
No
C.
Unsure
13.
Has your child been identified as autistic or diagnosed with some other neurodivergence (e.g., dyspraxia, ADHD, sensory processing) and/or a language disorder?
A.
Yes
B.
No
C.
Unsure (e.g., awaiting assessment or I suspect that my child might be autistic or otherwise neurodivergent)
14.
Has your child experienced or demonstrated heightened sensitivities to sensory stimuli? (e.g., textures, sounds, sights, smells, tastes)
A.
Yes
B.
No
C.
Unsure
15.
Has your child exhibited or engaged in self-stimulating behaviors? (e.g., air writing, rocking, jumping, alphabetizing, singing ABCs on repeat, counting on repeat, hand flapping, swinging, chewing)
A.
Yes
B.
No
C.
Unsure
16.
Has your child experienced any of the following? Check all that apply. (optional)
A.
Auditory processing issues
B.
Intense interest in specific topics of interest
C.
Strong pattern recognition skills
D.
Appears to be a selective listener
E.
Appears to pay more attention to your tone than your voice
F.
Uses a lot of scripts to communicate
G.
Musically inclined and/or might have perfect pitch
Since your child is not a self-taught reader (at least not yet), they can't be considered hyperlexic. However, it's still possible that your child could start reading soon. At that point, they could then be considered hyperlexic, assuming other traits are also in place. Consider retaking this quiz in a few months time if your child starts reading.
Well, it doesn't look like your child is hyperlexic based on this quiz. Remember, not all early readers are hyperlexic after all. It's possible that your child is simply an early precocious reader and not a hyperlexic reader - and yes, there are differences between the two! Or maybe they just have a special interest that happens to overlap with hyperlexia. It's also important to remember that hyperlexia is so much more than just early reading or an intense interest in letters. Other traits have to be in place and, unfortunately, some of those traits don't appear to be present based on your answers.
It looks like your child checked quite a few boxes for hyperlexia, but more information is required. Your results suggest that your child could possibly be hyperlexic so it's worth exploring further by chatting with a professional or specialist who is familiar with hyperlexia.
Well, look at that! Your results strongly suggest that your child has lots of hyperlexic traits. It's recommended that you continue to explore this identity further by learning more about hyperlexia and to reach out to professionals or specialists for deeper insights into your child's unique learning style.
