HYPERLEXIA - READING WITHOUT MEANING IN YOUNG-CHILDREN

Hyperlexia is the developmental disorder in which children decode word s early but have significant impairments in aural and reading comprehe nsion. Here, the literature describing hyperlexia is reviewed, includi ng associated cognitive characteristics, neurobiological bases, and la nguage and reading abilities. A study of 12 children with hyperlexia i s summarized, illustrating the dissociation between decoding and compr ehension skills, the superiority of phonologic over orthographic readi ng strategies, and the limited use of meaningful context to aid decodi ng. Implications for intervention with children with hyperlexia center on the importance of targeting meaningful comprehension of both aural and written language.