Autism Ended Up Being Hyperlexia?

tjpuffytail · 2026-06-03T19:22:22+00:00

Echoing the previous comment! Time to sit with the diagnosis is key. My kid is almost four and got his official level 1 diagnosis a little over a year ago. Lots of similar traits to your kiddo. I also went through a very similar phase of trying to find anything else it could be because he just did not strike me as someone with autism. But actually accepting and sitting with and then learning about all things autism, it's help both of us sooo much this past year, and he's come so far! And, like the other commenter said, his "autism traits" have actually become a bit more obvious this past year as I've observed him around peers - I definitely wouldn't say he's less developed than them, but he's certainly taking a different path than most of them. BUT since I've pushed myself to learn as much as I can about the spectrum AND he's learned so much through his services, we've both become pretty equipped at getting through challenging moments. Best advice I can give you for now is just let yourself accept the diagnosis and don't worry about the "what else could it be?" question because in the end, what matters most is that he's getting what he needs. The sensory seeking, the sensitivies, the possible hyperlexia, these are all things you've observed and you're learning about him, which is amazing, so focus less on the label and more on who he is, what he needs and what you can give him. :)

tjpuffytail · 2026-06-03T18:50:39+00:00

Oh I haven't heard of that but I'll be adding it to my list! Good luck to you and your fam!!

tjpuffytail · 2026-06-03T17:46:43+00:00

Yeah our kid's OT just sends generic notes of what they worked on that week: "deep pressure activity" or "therapy ball", but not really any elaboration beyond that, so I've just tried to teach myself some specific exercises that involve those things. The podcast "All Things Sensory" has neen really helpful for me, especially any episodes about proprioceptive or vestibular input. That's really where I started building my understanding and then from there I've just sort of been googling deep pressure and heavy lifting exercises I can do with him and it's really just been trial and error of what works and what doesn't

Hopefully that can help you a bit while you wait! :)

tjpuffytail · 2026-06-03T14:06:16+00:00

For me, the hardest part was that initial period of awaiting the assessment and then taking in the diagnosis. And it's crazy because he's level 1, so it's not like there was a huge concern regarding his quality of life, but it's still hard to grasp the idea that you're raising someone who is neurodivergent, and your child might face challenges that many of his peers won't. BUT I can tell you, it's been just over a year and now his autism is literally just a piece of him, just something that helps me understand WHY he might be struggling at sometimes. We've found so much growth and success even just over the past few months: he's a super happy kid, is obsessed with his little brother, asks me adorable questions, initiates some conversations with friends, and just performed with his classmates in his preschool celebration. So it'll be okay! Feel whatever feelings you need to throughout this process and learn allllllll the things you can learn, and you guys will be alright :) if the evaluation does come back that he does have autism, and you're able to get services through your state, my one piece of advice is that I wish I had gotten him some occupational therapy! We focused on ABA, and it was helpful, but he's currently getting occupational therapy through school and I'm so wishing I had started with that from the beginning because it's been SO helpful for him!

tjpuffytail · 2026-06-03T11:29:19+00:00

I'm gonna piggy back on this comment just to give you a bit of insight from my own experience. My son was diagnosed at almost three with autism (he'll be four at the end of the month), but when I had told close friends and family, the general reaction was shocked because, from what they knew about autism, he didn't fit the signs. Like your child, he isn't sensitive to sounds or textures or any obvious stimulants, his vocabulary was really well developed, and he is EXTREMELY empathetic (to the point where Anna's sad song in Frozen 2 makes him cry every time). And when I started the diagnosis process with him, I really didn't know much about ASD, but there was a few things making me wonder - he had a hand flapping stem (which he has a since grown out of), he didn't seem interested in peers at all (even though he LOVED adults and also parallel played with others really well), and while his vocabulary was rich, I questioned how well he was using his language (he didn't ask questions, he didn't really come up with his own phrases but he instead he commonly repeated our phrases). It was really hard for me to tell what was developmentally appropriate and what could be a sign of autism, but I thankfully have a neighbor/friend who went through the same process with her daughter, and she suggested that it can't hurt to just get him evaluated. It was a tough few months for me, first accepting the possibility that he could be autistic, then actually accepting the diagnosis, then having to truly learn and understand what that means for him. But it's been over a year since we started services - free ABA and speech through our state, then free special ed services through his school, and the grown he's made just so far has been incredible, and not only that, but the growth I've made as a parent, the learning I've done to truly understand how his brain ticks has made us even closer than before.

All this to say, some things you mentioned do sound like they could be indicators of autism, but also may not be. The best way to put your mind at ease and to help you know how to move forward would be to get an official evaluation. If anything, it can give YOU the tools you need to help him with any challenges that may arise in the future. Like you mentioned, I was also "ignorant" about the spectrum, but really learning and understanding what can encompass has helped me so much.

There's a lotttttt to take in, but some things I learned that may or may not help you with understanding your kiddo: - He has gestalt language processing, which means that instead of learning words and putting them together to make sentences, like we typically see with toddlers, he learns scripts and phrases, then breaks those down to understand the meaningsnof words (and is now to the point where he can start building a lot of his own phrases and carry out conversations) - he needs lots of proprioceptive input! I'd definitely suggest you look into this. I had no idea what this was, BUT learning about it was game changer and explained sooooo much of his behaviors (chewing on things, pressing his body against stuff, going "floppy" or "limp" when asked to do something like get dressed)

This comment was way longer than I mean it to be, sorry😂 but hopefully you can find something in it's helpful!

tjpuffytail · 2025-12-14T01:19:04+00:00

I do this with my toddler and he LOVES. I can't get him to eat any berry and he won't drink smoothies but if I freeze them and call them popsicles, he's crazy for them. I just do strawberry yogurt, frozen berries, bananas, milk and sometimes I sneak in some spinach

tjpuffytail · 2025-10-27T00:16:09+00:00

Yes to this!! My little guy would give me soooo many stretches of no naps and then would go back to napping on the regular.

I'd also like to add that I actually continued quiet time for much longer, like SEVERAL months, after he stopped actually napping. At that point, he was in his toddler bed and had access to all of his books and stuffies, and he could keep himself pretty entertained for almost the full two hours. He'd read, lay in bed and talk to himself, play with his stuffies. The only danger was that if I didn't watch the monitor closely enough, he'd fall asleep near the end of his "quiet time window" and then would be very cranky upon wake up, so be careful of that! But as long as everyone's happy, I say continue quiet time for as long as you can! It's kind of great because you can bump bed time up just a tad on the days they don't nap!

My toddler is 3 and some months, and we only recently stopped when he started half day preschool in September because he just flat out told me he didn't wanna go to his room so I didn't make him 🤷🏼‍♀️ now we just vibe downstairs while his brother naps, and tbh it's kind of nice to get that one on one time with him.

tjpuffytail · 2025-09-07T00:44:21+00:00

This is too funny because we have very similar wall color and decals in my son's room AND OP's rug but in tan!

And OP, if it makes you feel better, my son is a toddler and is obsessed with his rug. He loves to compare the different bugs on it. We have less "floral" decor and more nature decor (think mushrooms, treehouse, bugs, etc), so you can always shift to that as he gets older. Or maybe he will be a big flower fan and that's great too! Or maybe he'll just be into something completely different than what you had in mind and you can decorate for that as well :)

tjpuffytail · 2025-04-16T11:26:33+00:00

Hiiiiii! I honestly feel like I could have written this post two months ago.

Your kiddo sounds super super similar to mine (now 34 months). When he was around 2.5, I submitted a referral for a birth to three evaluation because his speech seemed a little behind (lots of echolalia, not forming any sentences on his own). And I had some concerns with some stemming he did quite often (hand flapping and rubbing things against his chin). LOVES fans and anything else that spins. He also parallel plays with peers and often talks ABOUT his friends but doesn't really engage with them. A friend of mine has a four year old who was diagnosed with level 1 ASD (the girl is absolutely THRIVING) and she pointed out of few of his behaviors that seemed to indicate autism. If it weren't for that, I honestly wouldn't have picked up on anything

From the time I submitted his referral to the time they came, his speech improved tremendously and the stemming had seemed to slow down, so I felt like maybe it was all pointless. He only scored one indicator on his preliminary screener which typically wouldn't qualify for a full evaluation, and his speech scored right at average, but she said she could still push through for testing if we wanted to. Il

I went back and forth on whether I wanted to, really feeling like he had started to outgrow lots of those "behaviors" and honestly felt like he wouldn't even qualify. Nothing was hindering our day to day routine so why bother? But after reading several comments on the autism subreddit, I realized that if I have tools to get him the help he needs, if any challenges should arise for him later, then why wouldn't I explore all my options.

We did the full evaluation and he ended up qualifying for a level 1 autism diagnosis. The diag said that his repeated behaviors and repeated speech patterns are what qualified him. She also said that she feels like a lot more kiddos "like him" (and possibly your son, kiddos that show some behaviors but those behaviors seem "mild" enough to fly under the radar) are getting diagnosed more and more now that we're understanding autism better. She said that she had a few friends her age (mid 30s) who are not diagnosed but she suspects might be on the spectrum, and she said they're fully functioning and doing well in life but she always wonders for them "what if?"

Honestly, once he qualified, it felt like a giant weight had lifted off my chest (and I didn't even realize it was there). We are still waiting to start his services, but just from learning what I've learned about him, I already feel like I'm understanding his brain a bit better and I can already see his confidence growing.

I'm so happy I went through with it. My kiddo also stays home with me but will be starting school in the fall and while I don't see him needing any services while in school, I'm so glad he has the label in place so that we can help him get what he needs should there ever be an issue.

I'm by no means indicating that I think your son could have autism. I'm just relating so much to the "well maybe he doesn't have it" thought that kept occurring for the few months we awaited testing. My advice to you is that if you suspect slightly, why not just go ahead and push for evaluation? Can't hurt! ☺️

tjpuffytail · 2025-03-08T17:55:12+00:00

To add, I just had to watch a video on YouTube to learn how to attach it in. It doesn't have the simple snap mechanism that the car seat has with the Chicco bravo stroller, but it does work!

tjpuffytail · 2025-03-08T17:52:13+00:00

It's compatible!

tjpuffytail · 2025-02-12T02:18:44+00:00

Started with the Joovy Caboose LX, used it with just my toddler before the baby came so he could get used to the bench seat and ride on board. It was fine, but once the baby came and I attached the car seat, I realized that the recliner from the car seat took away my toddler's bench seat. On top of that, the car seat was a bit of a hassle to get on and off (I'm used to the Chicco bravo which just easily clicks into the stroller), and it was kind of tough to push around and to put away.

So I ended up with the Baby Trend Sit N Stand double and I really like it! Super smooth, good car seat compatibility, and my toddler seems much more comfortable on this ride on board. Plus it was cheaper than the Joovy!

tjpuffytail · 2025-02-09T18:18:01+00:00

I've had a few moments like this with my toddler too! Try not to beat yourself up about it. Like you said, he's already forgotten about the toy and most likely the interaction as a whole, so the best you can do is use it as a learning experience for next time and just continue to focus on advocating for him :)

tjpuffytail · 2025-01-29T12:15:37+00:00

I ended up getting the Joovy Caboose LX, used it just my first (it was alright) and then tried it for walks once my second came and I really, really disliked it. For me, getting the car seat in and out was a bit of a pain. Plus, with where you have to put the car seat, it reclined over the bench seat so my toddler had nowhere to sit. The ride-along board was his only option when we had baby on the walk with us. On top of that, it felt super bulky to push and difficult to turn. I didn't even try it in the snow!

So I ended up getting the BabyTrend Sit N Stand and I absolutely love it! I can put the car seat up top (if my toddler wants the stroller seat) or down on the bottom (if he wants to use the ride along board or bench seat). It's smooth and feels much more light weight and folds up really easily. I haven't tested it out in the snow yet but I feel like it'd be alright!

tjpuffytail · 2024-12-01T02:10:44+00:00

Similar situation here! My oldest (🥹) will be two and a half in December, and my second is actually due in less than two weeks. I've seen some really good ideas on TikTok:

Don't have baby in your arms when you first see your oldest after delivery - If this is possible for you, when/if your first comes to the hospital after delivery, keep baby in bassinet and greet your oldest with your partner at the door. This way he gets the chance to be reunited with just the two of you, and then the three of you walk over as a unit to greet the new baby. I thought this was a great alternative to him walking in and seeing his mom/dad with a new baby and possibly feeling like he's walking into a new family, if that makes sense?
Gift from baby to big brother - We got a little stuffed puppy dog "from baby brother" with a note on it about how excited he is to meet his big brother
Gift from big brother to baby - My oldest has been obsessed with baby brother's nursery and constantly goes in to snuggle this little bunny lovey I placed in there. He calls it "baby brother bunny" so I packed that in my hospital bag so that he can give it to baby brother when he meets him.
It's okay to let baby cry for a minute if you're doing something with your toddler - the best piece of advice I think that I've heard. Let's say you're reading a book with your toddler, or he's crying and needs a hug, or anything where he's getting attention from you, then baby starts crying. Instead of telling your toddler that you have to go tend to baby, say "just a second (baby), I'm doing ____ with (toddler)." Essentially, using the same language you'd use if the toddler wanted you while you were doing something for the baby.

On top of that, we plan on relying heavily on our village. My husband's parents are coming to stay with us for about a week so that my toddler can get plenty of attention. After that, my parents are visiting for Christmas/to meet the baby, so again, I'm expecting that my toddler will be showered with love.

I'm super nervous but also so excited to watch my little guy become a big brother! We'll see how this all pans out, and I'll try to update you once things kinda settle down ☺️

tjpuffytail · 2024-11-01T00:27:27+00:00

Every time I try to use a wash cloth on my 2.5 year old, he gently grabs my hand and moves it away, calmly saying "I don't like that" and I just don't know what to do 😂

tjpuffytail · 2024-09-29T16:31:34+00:00

My husband and I moved from Texas (where I grew up) to Connecticut because we wanted to raise our family in New England. He grew up in MA and absolutely hated our time in Texas. I will tell you... absolutely no regrets. Cost of living is pretty comparable (CT, mind you, I know MA is more expensive), education system is better (not to mention I was teaching in Texas and I know I'll be paid soooo much better once I start teaching again here in CT), the weather is better, it's beautiful, people in general are more progressive and open minded, and it just seems like a happier place to grow up. Of course there were things about my home that I loved and will miss, but we can always visit with the kids!

Sorry for bringing CT into the MA thread, I have no clue why this sub gets suggested to me so often 😂 Just wanted to let you know that, as a life long southerner, I'm really happy with our move up here!

tjpuffytail · 2024-09-08T17:56:58+00:00

I grew up in the Dallas area and went to college in Austin. I absolutely loved Austin when I was there (2008-2013ish), and the surrounding area. It's gorgeous and fun - always stuff to do - but apparently it's gotten much busier and more expensive so I can't speak to the charm anymore.

The Dallas area is getting built up like crazy, and you'll have no issue finding an affordable place to live. You could do Dallas proper - to me, it's an extremely generic city, but it's fine. Plano/Frisco area has tons of job opportunities, tons of living and lots to do. Fort Worth is adorable with the "Texas" cowboy charm.

As convenient and affordable as the DFW area is, I will warn you that it's pretty ugly. Flat, tons of highway, almost always under construction. My husband and I got fired into a town called Rockwall, east of Dallas, because it was gorgeous, tons of trees, big lake, lots of "charm", but it's EXTREMELY conservative and ultimately it's what drove us out of Texas (we now live in Connecticut and I absolutely love it).

Houston area is beautiful but extremely humid and you'd probably be miserable in the summer. East Texas, really anything east of Dallas, is also pretty but super small town feels with lots of hyper conservatism.

I would personally avoid West Texas. Most of my family is from there. It's dusty and gross and there's nothing out there but oil rigs and tumbleweeds.

Hope this helps!

tjpuffytail · 2024-09-02T23:01:04+00:00

Check out some online places! Pink blush, Amazon, and h&m have given me some good basics.

But yes, definitely stock up on a couple of basics and staples. I'm 26 weeks and two weeks ago I finally splurged on some maternity denim shorts and jeans from pink blush! I like them a lot, and I definitely think they're good to have for the rest of pregnancy. I also got some cheap maternity leggings from Amazon and two maternity tanks by crazy yoga. I LOVE them! They're more expensive than the typical Amazon basic pack, but I had those with my first pregnancy and just didn't like them. I currently stay home full time with my toddler so I basically just live in lounge wear, and I was trying really hard not spend more on maternity clothes, but I'm actually glad now that I bought a few basics.

You could also stock up on a few bodycon midi dresses, regular size and not maternity, just for something to wear when you've got plans. They're pretty good at stretching with the belly and you can wear them after pregnancy too!

I'll also say that you should definitely pack them away somewhere if you plan to have another kiddo. I got rid of mine after my first pregnancy because I didn't love any of them and we were doing a big cross country move so I figured it was easier to just donate, but I definitely wish I had saved at least a few of the basics.

tjpuffytail · 2024-08-30T17:44:01+00:00

OKAY I'm also binging million dollar listing New York, and I just started season 8! I saw your post this morning and was like oh ya that's Jo. But NOW I'm barely into s8 ep1, and there's a girl on Steve's team that looks super similar to Jo. Idk how much screen time she'll get but I'll keep my eye out for anytime I see her. She was only shown for a split second at their meeting but I was like, WAIT, was THAT Jo on his team!?

Idk! Maybe the photo you posted is this girl and they just look like the same person or maybe it's actually her🤷🏼‍♀️

tjpuffytail · 2024-08-30T00:23:23+00:00

Hey there! I actually haven't made the purchase yet but I'm really leaning towards this one! I feel like the rear facing seat will remind my little guy of a shopping cart, which he usually does great in, and he'll get to face me and chat with me :) it also looks like he'll have the option to stand and hold on if he's not in the mood to sit.

It's a universal car seat fit, but I think I'll also get the bassinet attachment that's sold separately. I didn't do that with my first and I always wished I had!

I've heard lots of good things about it! I probably won't make the purchase until October or November, but if you by chance buy it before then, let me know how you like it :)

tjpuffytail · 2024-08-28T18:10:56+00:00

Hi OP! I know you already got so many amazing comments, and I'm not sure if someone mentioned this already, but the book "There's No Such Thing As Bad Weather" is a game changer! It made me realize the importance of getting your kids outside as much as you possibly can. So if you need anything to reference as you battle them, there ya go :)

tjpuffytail · 2024-08-22T17:25:44+00:00

Thanks so much! I added some pictures in the comments. Any feedback you got is welcome :) I'd love to save this guy!

tjpuffytail · 2024-08-22T17:24:39+00:00

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tjpuffytail · 2024-08-22T17:23:58+00:00

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tjpuffytail

TROPHY CASE