24 months reciting Alphabets Backwards

[CrazyBoss]

Dear Daddies and Mummies,

My son just turn 24 months and he is able to recite ABC backwards in quick speed.
No one teaches him on this. He has great interests in numbers and alphabets.
At 16 months he is able to count from 1 to 12 and play his favorite clock puzzle
At 20 months he is able to flip the clock puzzle's number without seeing the numbers and identifying the numbers by recognizing the pattern of puzzle. He can read all alphabets.
At 24 months he is able to count from 1 to 100. He can sing twinkle twinkle little star in 3 languages (English/Chinese/Korean) and now recent milestone, he is reciting alphabets backwards.

I try goggling online and it seems rare case that at age of 24 months able to recite alphabets backwards.
I am wondering whether that I am over-reacting or should I do something to nurture this talents.
What should I do so that I can give the best for my son.

 

[marxace]

Dear Daddies and Mummies,

My son just turn 24 months and he is able to recite ABC backwards in quick speed.
No one teaches him on this. He has great interests in numbers and alphabets.
At 16 months he is able to count from 1 to 12 and play his favorite clock puzzle
At 20 months he is able to flip the clock puzzle's number without seeing the numbers and identifying the numbers by recognizing the pattern of puzzle. He can read all alphabets.
At 24 months he is able to count from 1 to 100. He can sing twinkle twinkle little star in 3 languages (English/Chinese/Korean) and now recent milestone, he is reciting alphabets backwards.

I try goggling online and it seems rare case that at age of 24 months able to recite alphabets backwards.
I am wondering whether that I am over-reacting or should I do something to nurture this talents.
What should I do so that I can give the best for my son.

sounds like a genius to me

 

[g_t2006]

Dear Daddies and Mummies,

My son just turn 24 months and he is able to recite ABC backwards in quick speed.
No one teaches him on this. He has great interests in numbers and alphabets.
At 16 months he is able to count from 1 to 12 and play his favorite clock puzzle
At 20 months he is able to flip the clock puzzle's number without seeing the numbers and identifying the numbers by recognizing the pattern of puzzle. He can read all alphabets.
At 24 months he is able to count from 1 to 100. He can sing twinkle twinkle little star in 3 languages (English/Chinese/Korean) and now recent milestone, he is reciting alphabets backwards.

I try goggling online and it seems rare case that at age of 24 months able to recite alphabets backwards.
I am wondering whether that I am over-reacting or should I do something to nurture this talents.
What should I do so that I can give the best for my son.

Your child might have autism. Have you Google for hyperlexia and autism?

Better to get your child checked by a professional.

 

[The Legionnaire]

A Savant spotted! I will categorise them as X-Men..

 

[stanlawj]

Dear Daddies and Mummies,

My son just turn 24 months and he is able to recite ABC backwards in quick speed.
No one teaches him on this. He has great interests in numbers and alphabets.
At 16 months he is able to count from 1 to 12 and play his favorite clock puzzle
At 20 months he is able to flip the clock puzzle's number without seeing the numbers and identifying the numbers by recognizing the pattern of puzzle. He can read all alphabets.
At 24 months he is able to count from 1 to 100. He can sing twinkle twinkle little star in 3 languages (English/Chinese/Korean) and now recent milestone, he is reciting alphabets backwards.

I try goggling online and it seems rare case that at age of 24 months able to recite alphabets backwards.
I am wondering whether that I am over-reacting or should I do something to nurture this talents.
What should I do so that I can give the best for my son.

Seeing how the recent replies are non-serious, let me put in my reply.

I'm not a parent, but you judge what I say yourself.

Why not try looking from the point of view of your son? Everything you said seems normal to him because he does not have any prior reference*. He is simply having fun doing what he likes (it's a play for him to recite backwards). From what you describe, fun could be in alphabets, numbers, singing and possibly things related to it (music?). He wants to learn to do new things spontaneously, because the mind is a blank sponge at this time soaking up whatever water it finds.

Why not investigate more deeply his interests, what activities makes him happy, and support him in any way to further the interests? Joining him having fun as parents (playing along with him) will be lovely for him, showing him more things to experience. You'll have to carve out enough free time out of your work, no one else will care more about your son except you. When he starts asking questions you cannot answer, or requests for resources /guidance that you cannot provide, then consider looking for outside help.

Do not be too concerned with relative age abilities because it can either breed arrogance (in parents) in superior abilities, or inferiority & disappointment if some abilities found deficient. But customise for your son, whatever he seeks for, keeping an eye that the basics of bilingual literacy and numeracy are eventually fully covered over time.

*You instead are concerned because you are comparing your son to other children. Why should your son behave like other children? Everyone is special in their own way.

 

[g_t2006]

Hyperlexia is when a child starts reading early and surprisingly beyond their expected ability. It's often accompanied by an obsessive interest in letters and numbers, which develops as an infant.‌

Hyperlexia is often, but not always, part of the autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

 

[CrazyBoss]

Thanks for the replies.

@g_t2006, my son definitely does not have autism as he is very sociable and like to greet families/neighbors/my friends and play along well with same age of his.
If Hyperlexia can be classified under "a child starts reading early and surprisingly beyond their expected ability. It's often accompanied by an obsessive interest in letters and numbers, which develops as an infant.", it seems to fit the description of my son.

I do agree with @stanlawj on paying more attention to my son's interests and spend more time with him. I will try to guide him towards what he likes to do. I would rather think that my son tends start read and learn earlier than other kids rather than known as gifted.

 

[platee]

Haolian thread la

 

[stanlawj]

Haolian thread la

That's why I say, parents will be in for a big disappointment when they discover that their child actually is normal or have learning difficulties later on, and wonder why they don't do as well later in life compared to earlier.

Also by age of 20s, any "gifted" acceleration advantage will have mostly disappeared. Anyone who continues to overthink highly of oneself is bound to face a lot of challenges in adulting. Inability to cope with loss of "giftedness" is one of the mental problems that can afflict early high achievers. This the counterpart to the problem of low self-confidence that can afflict late bloomers in early adulthood.

 

[g_t2006]

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/special_needs/415237-saying-the-alphabet-backwards
TS should read this and perhaps seek a professional opinion.

Kids on the autism spectrum are often obsessed with numbers, letters, and colors because they exhibit visual strengths (vs. those who are more auditory or “words” based). Some kids on the spectrum are so adept at this that they are reading at two. (It’s officially called hyperlexia).

Don't ignore the early warning signs.

 

[䏣炆玧示老太]

can be a learning disorder too if spell or speak backwards
its brain circuit problem
best bring to see paediatrician quickly

 

[stanlawj]

can be a learning disorder too if spell or speak backwards
its brain circuit problem
best bring to see paediatrician quickly

Once you visit the medical industrial complex for consultation, a medical case will begin to build up in your child's medical record permanently. They also can't make an accurate judgment especially in children in a short period of time, and need extended regular observation periods to track developmental progress.

I would advise TS to look for parents whose children exhibited similar behaviour, gifted or not, normal or abnormal, to gain full understanding outside the medical system before going into the medical system for any help.

Paediatricians/child specialists are geared to look for problems. What if there aren't any? Then the problem of misdiagnosis can do more harm and good.

 

[䏣炆玧示老太]

TS can your kid recite the alphabet list forward ABCDE?

 

[endlssorrow]

Becare coz at a later stage the brain will gg

 

[chocolate&cookies]

My girl is 2.5yo (30months) but she can only count 1-10 though. We didnt specifically teach her anything beyond yet la.. her cousin can count 1-50 at 2.5yo. Another friend's kid can count 1-20 at 3yo.

Not sure how impt are all these but really, they just develop at different speed? I agree with one of the earlier replies to just play and spend more time with your kid, developing his interests


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