Given the complexity of the process, it’s astonishing any human has ever mastered the ability to read. Although written language is ancient — we’ve been at it for roughly 5,000 years — it’s not an innate skill. There is no “reading center” in the brain; human brains aren’t designed to automatically decipher the symbols on a page that add up to reading.
And yet, new research shows that the skills needed for reading begin developing before a child is born, and that signs of reading challenges can emerge as early as 18 months old.