The infant who sits and gazes longingly at picture or who watches you intently as you go into the kitchen and back, or is anxious to see how blocks go together in different ways may be telling you something.
Your baby may be gifted. Giftedness stems from a combination of neurology development, genetics and environment stimuli. A small percentage of children show a remarkable ability to learn and grow intellectually at a much faster pace than the average child.
There has been much research done in this field. Virtually every child psychology organization and parenting organization has conclusions and recommendations for parents (and grandparents) of gifted students.
One study of gifted children with IQs between 160 and 237 showed significant differences from the average child population. 94% of infants were very alert. A high percentage also exhibited a longer attention span, shoed early motor skills, and soon acquired imaginary playmates.
There is much agreement in the common characteristics of gifted children, and what signs to look for in your child’s early years.
Birth to Age Two
A gifted infant will show early signs of expression. There might be a high form of intelligence behind that smile. An unusual alertness is also an early sign. They might show early signs of development by rolling over, grasping, crawling or walking. Gifted young children pay a lot of attention when you read to them, and when they get the chance, like to turn pages of the books they are holding.
They are very active and can be restless. By age 18 months or before, they like to play with shapes. They start to say two-word phrases. They begin to understand what you are asking them to do. They also start to build an early vocabulary of many words.
Gifted children will start to like watching TV and soon have their favorite show. They can watch for extended periods and seem to have less need for sleep. By age two, gifted children can recognize letters and start to understand alphabets. They like puzzles and learn colors. They start to form three-word sentences. A young gifted child may also begin show an interest in time.
Ages Two to Four
As gifted children grow, they start to develop more extensive vocabularies and can form sentences that are grammatically strong. Their communication skills are ahead of other small children. They learn to change to different language forms when addressing different audiences like school mates, teachers or parents.
They like to solve more difficult puzzles (20 pieces or more). They are interested in computers and by age four are quite comfortable and capable of independent computer use.
They can do counting, memorize information, write their own names, and begin reading. They acquire strong mathematical skills. They develop musical or artistic abilities. They like to draw and are good at it. And they show great curiosity, and usually a good sense of humor.
There is a myth that playing classical music for a young child will make him or her smarter. Research does not support this concept, called the Mozart effect. At best, it may lead to a later interest in music, but even this is not certain.
Another common characteristic of gifted children at a young age is passion about some interest. Their curiosity and ability to focus leads them to zero in on some hobby or pastime that engages them.
Gifted Children at School Age
By the time gifted children start school, their vocabularies are very well developed. Their language skills and communication are extraordinary. They have probably learned to read before entering school and their abilities to continue reading and understanding will keep growing stronger.
Gifted children can handle multiple-step directions and complex assignments. They like challenge and are quick to learn more involved processes. They also have excellent memories and continue to build a working knowledge of the world around them.
A common characteristic of gifted children is curiosity. They ask a lot of questions from early on and continue this quest for knowledge throughout life. This curiosity leads to a natural interest in some area where their attention and focus becomes very strong.
Gifted students make connections very quickly. They see parents use keys to start a car. Then, if they see the parent pick up a set of keys from the dining room table, they expect the parent to be going somewhere.
There is a certain intensity that is common to gifted children. They have strong feelings and can be very sensitive. This can make them vulnerable to comments from peers or teachers (who may have limited experience with gifted students).
These children tend to daydream and, although highly focused when interested in something, they can also drift from one subject to another and appear disinterested at times. This can be mistaken for lack of motivation or effort.
Family Environment
Parents need to be aware of the family environment, even extended family, when trying to evaluate or recognize giftedness in one of their children. By putting too much attention on a gifted child, the parent can cause sibling problems.
There should be an effort to spend an equal amount of time with each child and show interest in each child’s choices and activities. Genetics may have favored one child over another, and parents need to be aware of differences.
Grandparents, too, need to understand what giftedness means for their grandchildren so they can apply good judgment when interacting with the family. They should show love equally among all grandchildren and avoid favoring a gifted one.
Grandparents should also be cognizant of their own children’s feelings. The effects of having gifted grandchildren will weigh differently on different children who are also parents.
Conclusion
There are many clues for you to follow to see if your child might be gifted.
If you see these signs and think you may have a gifted child, you should seek professional opinions and gifted testing for confirmation. You should also discuss the situation with school officials to make sure they are aware of the uniqueness of your child and capable of providing the direction, resources and support needed.