Hyperlexia in Spanish-speaking children: report of 2 cases from Colombia, South America.
Hyperlexia is a condition rarely reported in Spanish-speaking children, characterized by the ability to recognize written words without formal training. We present two unrelated autistic children with hyperlexia from Colombia (South America) who were followed for 8 years with formal neuropsychological evaluations of language, motor skills, visual perception, attention and behavior. Both children taught themselves to read before 5 years of age but showed minimal comprehension; both displayed obsessional reading and difficulties in social skills and attention. Brain CT scans were normal. Hyperlexia has been associated with hyperactivation of the left superior temporal cortex; we conclude that the orthographic route is a probable mechanism for the development of hyperlexia.
Talero-Gutierrez
Claudia
C
Neuroscience Unit, Group of Neurosciences (NEUROS), School of Medicine, Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Señora del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia. cltalero@urosario.edu.co
D000293:Adolescent; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D003105:Colombia; D004410:Dyslexia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed