Autism Support Community

I hv a 3 yr old grandsn can do all those things also with the exception of banging his head. My grandsn does get angry and throws trantrums as fustrated he cant communicate what he wants to his parents or others to understand what he wants. I found after spending 2 weeks of everyday with him he can learn to site read. I looked on WebMD site and put in a new word to me called Hyperlexia which by accident found article on a young boy with this diagnosis in Newsweek think it was May issue 2011. The article expressed how he repeats what you say like echolalia, says some words, but mostly chattering to himself. This described most all what my grandsn did. So you might look that diagnosis up. Also swkipedia gave a good example of one of the first known cases. They are usually accomplish excellent reading skills; flash cards with words on them and/or with picture helps yhim and you to communicate. Suggestions is like a flash card for WANT then seperate card for MILK. Say the word spell the word outloud and repeat soon they locate those words on everything. Hyperplexia is a higher functioning type of asbergers which is a form of autism. I hope this was helpful. Grandma B

p.s. from Brandma B: I am sending you a response to my story I posted. Hope this is helpful to you also.
Grandma B.
I am also a Grandma of identical twin boys who will be 5 in 2 days. There was no history in our family either and although the boy were born early (they were 7 week premies) they did meet their milestones, usually at the upper end and seemed very typical happy babies until they had their last MMR vaccination. (Please note - I am not against vaccination, just the schedule it is usually delivered on - but that is another email) The boys immediately started to lose their language, eye contact etc and by age 18 months were diagnosed with Autism after a comprehensive battery of tests. We had to rigorously insist they be tested. We started around them being 16 months old.

I found an autism physician (DAN doctor) on line who started them on Methyl B-12 subcutaneous injection every 3 days. We did this after he had done a number of blood test, heavy metal tests etc. As a side note the boys did not have high levels of mercury, but had extremely high levels of aluminum and tin (aluminum is found in most vaccines as an adjunct to increase the reaction of the vaccine). We aggressively started them on Methyl B-12, changing nothing else for 6 weeks. It was amazing to start to see within a few days the changes in them. Please note that it is not a miracle cure, but an adjunct. I should also mention that I am a nurse and as such did extensive reading on the B-12, looking for possible side effects, as well as possible research validity for using it before we even gave them one injection. I could find no downside for doing this. We then started them on a gluten free and casien free diet, removing all casein (milk & soy products) first and reducing the gluten gradually as we used up the cereals etc we had and replaced them with gf products.
We also began intensive ABA - each boy had 7 hours per week along with 1 hour of speech, We continued the lessons throughout the day as we interacted with them. When they were 3 they entered a integrated pre -K class and are finishing next month. They will be going to a traditional kindergarten class in the fall and at their last evaluation the Autism diagnosis is gone. They are happy, social, wonderfully typical kids. We still keep them casein free, and limit their gluten to the weekdays giving them some on the weekends and about 18 months ago added soy without any problem. Of course continue with the Methyl- B 12 and their other vitamins.

I don't know if the course we chose will work for everyone, but I can tell you as I watch them being rambunctious boys and listen to their happy typical chatter, that every time they are talking and asking question so much and you want to tell them to be quiet, I clamp my lips closed and just smile and enjoy it.
I hope you find the answer that will work for your grandson, please know that there is hope out there if you are willing to put the effort in it. It may sound as if this was easy, it was not and took a great deal of patience and researching, as well as constant reinforcement of what the children were learning, but it is so well worth it.
Annette