A Descriptive Study of Hyperlexia in a Clinically Referred Sample of Children with Developmental Delays

Abstract

In this study, we evaluated the incidence of hyperlexia in a clinically referred sample of 80 children with developmental delays. Based on hypotheses previously formulated in the literature, the study investigated the frequency of hyperlexia among boys and girls, the incidence of hyperlexia in children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD)-spectrum compared with non-PDD diagnoses, the range of IQ and of various cognitive skills in children with and without hyperlexia, and the developmental outcomes of children with and without hyperlexia. The results revealed no significant differences in the frequency of hyperlexia in girls compared with boys. However, the frequency of hyperlexia was significantly elevated among children with PDD compared with children with non-PDD diagnoses. The range of IQ and other cognitive skills and the developmental outcomes of children with hyperlexia were comparable to those of children without hyperlexia.