I don't know if my child is hyperlexic, should I invest in this program? 

If your child is pre-school age, and has picked up on letters and numbers "naturally", and shows a general fascination with print, and you are also concerned about spoken language and communication, there is a good chance your child has hyperlexia. If so, this may be the ideal program to boot language. It is always advised, however, to also consult with a speech therapist to look at all factors of language development. 

My child has an autism diagnosis and is older, will this program work for my child? 

While designed for younger children, this may help some older children with a severe language delay move from letter recognition, to word recognition, to communication of basic desires and needs. It is always important to communicate with your child's therapy team to be sure that methods and techniques used for interventions complement one another. 

My child is dyslexic, not hyperlexic, is this the right program for my child? 

Children with dyslexia benefit most from a multi sensory Orton-Gillingham phonics method of teaching reading. This program is not designed for children with dyslexia. Feel free to contact the developer of this program for referrals to appropriate programs. 

My child shows no signs of language delay or social difficulties, but I want them to learn to read early. Can I use this program? 

The purpose of the program is in fact NOT to teach reading to a toddler for the sake of reading. It is to support spoken language and communication. Typically developing preschoolers develop ideally in a spoken language-rich, play based environment with plenty of opportunities to have books read to them. Other programs teach sight-word reading to preschoolers if a parent chooses to explore this avenue of learning. 

My child is language delayed, but shows no interest in print or letters. Will this program work for my child? 

It is highly recommended that if you have not had your child evaluated by a speech therapist, please do so. Hyperlexia BTB products are designed for children who are visually oriented learners and who gravitate toward symbolic language and print. If your child is not showing this tendency yet, they may not be right for this program at this time. However, they may be ready for it later. 

My child aleady makes one word requests, is my child too advanced for the First Words Kit? 

If your child expresses needs and desires regularly through single words, and is beginning to combine to simple sentences, it is recommended that you wait for further kits to be developed. If, however, your child uses just a few single words (10-15) and is far from beginning the use of two word phrases, this may be a perfect time to use the First Words Kit. 

My child is already reading, is this the right program for them? 

If your child is reading, or writing words, but not communicating wants and needs, this may still be a program you can use, but you may not need to spend as much time on the beginning steps if they can already match word to item. Some children simply "word call", meaning they can read a word aloud, but do not associate meaning. Whether your child associates meaning with the words they read, or whether they simply read a word without comprehending meaning, they will still benefit if they need to boost spoken communication. 

Can't I create a similar program at home with note cards?

While some aspects of this program can be re-created at home, the words in this kit were chosen by a child and cognitive development specialist and formatted by a trained graphic designer with consistent, easy to read print. Photographs were taken specifically for this program in a way that were clear and unambiguous. Re-creating this program as a whole would take hours of preparation. 

Can I share this downloadable product with friends who also have children with hyperlexia? 

Hyperlexia by the Book is working to develop further kits to support learning for the hyperlexic child. If you are pleased with our product and desire for more to be developed, please respect our copyright and point your friends to this website for a legal download of their own.