I think it's the same with my reading ability from a young age. Language, in technical terms, is really a mechanical activity. Knowing words and constructing sentences all derive from algorithms, not unlike math, which are both things that computers and robots can do. Similarly, autistics or AS people wouldn't have a problem with that. However, if you are trying to use language in a way that conveys a meaning that everyone else gets or that conforms to society, that might be a different story. I think it's in how we use our words. And of course, you don't need to articulate to other kids what you're feeling or thinking when you're on a playground. Everyone will probably just be smiling and having fun, laughing and shouting, and chasing each other around. It's an unspoken enjoyable activity that most kids engage in, and I suppose that's why we don't get it; it's a social thing that's unspoken.
As for my reading ability, I learned to read from a young age, and read many books. I didn't read the books because I liked getting excited or feeling emotional about the story or the characters. I read them because I liked drawing words from my brain and making use of it in "decoding" the words on the page. The story itself might have meant little to me.