How old were you when you first started reading?

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I was 3. I learned my alphabet when I was just over a year old (according to my mom). I recognized letters around 2. I don't think I was diagnosed with Hyperlexia, but after reading about it I sound classic. It is closely related to autism. I knew how to read medical terms (some pretty advanced ones) like the disease I actually got at one time (the doc called it by its easier name, "fish odor syndrome") but its real name is Trimethylaminuria, I had that when I was around 13 (I guess) just like everything else started around that age, but luckily I don't got that now, it only lasted a few weeks....now I'm getting off topic! Oh why am I talking about that embarrassing thing? By the way, like I said before, I can read most medical level words by 13-14 years of age and even spell them. No, I'm not going to a spelling bee! How do you spell the word "it" too difficult! (well, in front of a million people it would be!) But right now I'm having more dyslexic moments, which is the complete opposite of hyperlexia. Words appear strange to me, but yet I am still able to read them. As you can tell that I still can type! Me gets confused easily! Has anyone on this site been diagnosed with hyperlexia? And if so, how old were you when you started reading words?

If I remember right, I was reading a children's Bible (and dropping gum on the pages) at around age 4 or 5, a grade-school dictionary at 6 or 7, the grown-up scholarly version of Butler's "Lives of the Saints" at age 7, and college-level "Sky and Telescope" and "Astronomy" magazines by age 8.

If you understood the words, it wouldn't be hyperlexia.

As for me, I only started reading adequately at the age of 8 (this is being able to read). As for picking up a book at my own volition, that was in early high school, so 13 or so.

I was reading fluently at about four and a half years old, and reading was all I did throughout my childhood after I've learned how to read. I read biology-related books first, then got into fiction. My kindergarten teachers were amazed that I was able to read out loud very fast. I was amazed that kindergarten kids weren't able to read as well as I did.

i started reading about 3 or 4.
but i probably actually started to understand how to read is when i was 6 or 7.

I read at 3; by seven I had completed the astronomy and mythology sections of both the city and high school libraries. Read Faulkner, Michner and Eco between 9-13.


M.

I could sort of read words, but had a hard time with knowing "what" I was reading. Eventually, I could string words together and "read", but had no idea of the meaning of what I was reading. I recall reading my first book around the age of 11 or 12. Until this point, I really couldn't "read" and simultaneously "understand". I made the leap from having no clue what was coming out of my mouth to reading almost over night, however. I had serious issues with reading comprehension up until about the age of 20. Today, I read all the time and have no troubles with comprehension.

I still, however, suck at spelling......

I don't know. I have videos of myself 'reading' at the age of 3 but I don't know if I was actually reading or just memorized the story from when my mum read it to me. I know that by the time I started school (age 5) I could read the basic chapter books in the school library, but I failed reading comprehension tests all through my primary school years (age 5-11).

One of my earliest memories had me on the kitchen floor, eating from a can of fruit cocktail, with my flash cards and my copy of "Cookie Monster and the Cookie Tree". I was three years old.

I'm not sure what motivated my mother to teach me to read when I was so young, though I'm sure part of it is because she is an avid reader herself. I remember she tried to teach my (NT) brother to read at a young age as well, but he didn't take to it, and would not learn until he *had* to in kindergarten.

I read around 3 as well. Daniel, hyperlexia is as vague as AS! Hyper means above or superior, lexic has to do with words.

If you could merely "read" the words(as in sound them out), HOW would it be, in any way, remarkable? If you could state the words in a phrase where they sounded like they were in context, but it was merely parroting, how is THAT remarkable?

I was talking well and communicated before I could read. Frankly, I think most have to. but sites like:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperlexia

and

http://www.hyperlexia.org/aha_what_is.html

Seem to indicate that it is SPOKEN language such people have trouble with. Frankly, the precocious understanding of written words makes ,more sense.

I remember reading things before starting school, so probably around 4 years old. I remember one specific instance where I showed off to my mom how I could read the word "yellow" off a yellow crayon, and got really angry when she said that I was just looking at the color. Throughout elementary school I was encouraged to read books that were "harder" than what my peers were reading, and at 5th or 6th grade I had a 12th grade reading level.

MathGirl, I remember feeling the same way when everyone read out loud during class! I was very frustrated that I had to sit and listen to these kids puzzle out what were, to me, incredibly simple words in that terrible monotone that children read in.

6. I started reading for real at age 8 though.

I did have trouble with comprehension for a very long time, but now I understand everything perfectly. In 7th grade (I think that is around 13, right?) I tested out in the last year of college level. The problem is that I still can't read novels (fiction) at all, even if they were written at the 1st grade level. But I can understand complex medical stuff with ease. Its because I lack imagination, hopefully not stupidity. My comprehension was always below my reading the words level, but now its around the same. Are you calling me stupid, 2ukenkerl?

When I was 4, my mom discovered me reading Bulfinch's Mythology. She asked me if I was looking at the pictures, and when I said I was reading it, she asked me to read to her and I did.

I was reading the Times newspaper to people aged three, but I'm not sure if I understood what I was reading. I then became a classic bookworm and still read everything in sight.

That's pretty impressive, MsBehaviour! I don't know if my reading was that impressive at that age! I don't remember the kind of things I used to read, I don't remember my childhood as it was hundreds of years ago. I'm going based on what my parents told me. I'm ancient!