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    Joined: Aug 2011
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    1111 Offline OP
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    Hi everyone. Just wanted to introduce myself. English IS my second language so forgive me if there are spelling/grammar issues at times...:-) Also, this is going to be LONG so hopefully I won't lose you halfway through. I just want to paint a picture of where we are at with our kids for you more experienced parents of gifted children. I just found this board and I am very excited about it. As all of you probably feel it is nice to find a place where we all deal with similar issues that mostly can't be discussed/understood by friends/family.

    I have 2 boys. DS1 is 3 yrs 10 months and DS2 is 21 months. I started to suspect DS1 was gifted at about 2 1/2 when all of a sudden he started to read Level 1 early reader books. I think I would have realized it earlier had it not been for the fact that I didn't really know what was the "norm". I have not had him tested yet but I think that might be a good idea. Would LOVE some suggestions about testing since I am completely new to this. I have been reading up about gifted children in books/internet trying to educate myself so that I can understand my son better and give him what he needs.

    He was not really an early talker. Started to talk at 18 months but quickly improved and spoke in 5 word sentences at his 2 year birthday. Also want to mention he is bilingual.
    Before I realized he was gifted I found it crazy that he just seemed to teach himself things. Yes, I sat with him a lot and read, did letter/word books, number books etc. But still. He would pick stuff up SO easily. I can't even remember that I taught him to read...he taught himself pretty much.

    At this point he is advanced in both reading/writing and math. His elementary educated teacher in preschool said he reads at a 4th grade level with 3rd grade comprehension. He can pretty much read anything, chapter books etc. He writes on the computer in full sentences like a diary of his day. He is now up to 11,000 words. Fine motors kills are way behind and so are his gross motor skills. As far as math he is doing multi digit subtraction and addition and regrouping the addition problems. Also is starting to do some beginner multiplication.

    He was in preschool last year where most of the kids were older than him. The school was going to bump him up to Pre K even though he misses the cutoff for it. I was happy about this. Sadly the school had to close so I was in a position where I would have been forced to put him in a 3's preschool program where he would have been one of the oldest. I did however ask the school I really liked if they would be willing to do a test on him for early Pre K entrance. They agreed and he passed no problem. His teacher now is WONDERFUL and embraces his abilities and understands what he is lacking as well. (Motor skills). I feel so fortunate to have him in a class with such great support from the teacher. She does say he is so beyond academically where the other students are and will ask her "what do I do now?". She is trying to challenge him since he is extremely hungry to learn but it makes it hard with having so many other students at a different level. So I brought in a 2nd grade math work book that he will work with while the other kids are doing the activities he already knows. She embraced the idea.

    Other points I want to let you know about is that DS1 is extremely sensitive to noise and VERY emotionally mature. Is this something you find is normal for gifted kids?

    I am not 100% sure about DS2 and where he is at yet. In many ways he is showing the same signs as DS1 did but not as extreme. At 20 months he has a great interest in letters and will read them out from signs in stores etc. He sings the whole alphabet song and can recognize and then say about half of them now. He counts to 10 and recognizes and then says numbers 1-5. He knows/says about 3 shapes and 3 colors. He doesn't have the same attention span that DS1 had and seems to only want to do things that he FEELS like doing at the moment. VERY determined and stubborn and has great attention span when it comes to something he is wanting to do. DS1 was easier to distract. He will however sit for 30 minutes+ easily and read with me. And even after that he cries then we have to stop.

    The interesting thing about DS2 that DS1 didn't do is his sensitivity to peoples feelings. Extreme empathy. At 10 months old when DS1 cried he would crawl up and stroke him on the head trying to make him feel better. He has also always been so aware of his surroundings and what people are doing. More of an awareness than DS1 ever had. He seems to be very sensitive to noise/music and will cry if there is a song playing he doesn't like. Also visually he is very sensitive. The trampoline at the play center we go to has a worn spot on it and he spent a good 20 minutes pointing to it and being sad saying it has a booboo. This is just one example. Things like this happen every day. I am not sure what to think about it but when I started reading about gifted children having DS1 in mind a lot of the characteristics matched DS2 perfectly. Any thoughts? Is this kind of sensitive behavior common in gifted kids?

    Seems a lot of you on here believe in breastfeeding (Nursed both kids to 20 months old), healthy organic eating no toxic exposure etc. I am with you all. I do believe it makes a difference, but if not, it won't hurt at least..

    OK, sorry about the WAY too long message but at least now you know our story. I look forward to joining you all in the discussions and hopefully I can bring something to the table even though I am completely new at this.

    Thank you for reading.

    Annie

    Last edited by 1111; 08/26/11 11:44 AM.
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    Welcome! Much of what you say is very familiar around here; glad you found us. Here are a few comments:

    Originally Posted by 1111
    I have not had him tested yet but I think that might be a good idea. Would LOVE some suggestions about testing since I am completely new to this.
    I think the majority view here is likely to be not to test until there is some definite reason for doing so. It's expensive; with such young children it's a bit hit and miss (you'll be less likely to get anomolous results because of a kid having a weird day, if you can leave it until they are 6 or so); and many teachers etc. don't really trust testing done on children so young, so you might well find testing done now not very useful for advocacy. If you find that you will need a test to persuade people to accept one of your DSs into a classroom you think is right for him, that would be a reason to do it. It's very good to hear that your older DS is so well placed at the moment, though!

    Ah - by the way, the usual convention here is to write DS<age in years> rather than DS<birth order>, i.e. most people would refer to your older DS as "DS3".

    Originally Posted by 1111
    He writes on the computer in full sentences like a diary of his day. He is now up to 11,000 words.
    You mean, he's typed 11,000 words on the computer? Not such bad fine motor skills there then, actually... Seriously, not many kids that age would do that, and it will make many things easier for your DS that he can.

    Originally Posted by 1111
    DS1 is extremely sensitive to noise and VERY emotionally mature. Is this something you find is normal for gifted kids?
    This seems a rather odd sentence - I wouldn't normally associate sensitivity to noise with emotional maturity. Do you mean that he is a quiet little boy, perceived as mature because of it? Or is it possible you meant emotionally immature?

    You might want to google "Dabrowski's overexcitabilities" which is a term covering the many ways in which gifted children can be intense. Both extreme emotional maturity (relative to age peers) and extreme emotional immaturity (relative to academic skill level) are common in gifted children. Sometimes even in the same kid :-/




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    Hi Annie!

    My son is similar to your DS1. He's now 4.6.

    What I want to comment on is the sound sensitivity. For my DS it must have been from birth. He used to cry for no apparent reason. We thought he had colic, but the symptoms and solutions didn't fit.

    He was/is the child who covers his ears when there's seemingly no offensive noise.

    I looked around online and found out about Hyperacusis.

    I don't know how prevalent sound sensitivity is in the gifted community.


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    Hi! Welcome 1111! It definitely sounds like you belong here.

    CollinsMum made some good comments. Feel free to ask any questions you have as they come up. It seems like there's always someone who has BTDT and can relate their experience for you to consider. And, by all means, spend LOTS of time searching previous posts. You'll find all kinds of relevant posts on sensitivities, school fit, how giftedness appears in younger siblings when compared to older siblings, asynchronous development, etc.

    Sounds like you have some wonderfully exciting kids. Enjoy!


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    Hi Colinsmum! Thank you for the reply!

    I appreciate the info on testing. We are switching him to a private school next year that is supposed to be very open to helping children of high ability. I will take your advice. Unless their views on what to do with him differ a lot from what we believe in, and we need him tested to get an idea where he is at, I will wait to test. He will, however, be entering Pre K over again there but on a more advanced curriculum.

    Yes, he typed around 11,000 words and numbers on the computer this past year. Interesting to see how his sentences have gotten more and more correct and advanced. True that it takes some fine motor skills to be able to type but still, other activities he has some trouble with. I guess there is just such a big gap between his academics and motor skills since the academics are so advanced. He knows how to do math problems but when he writes it down it is hard to see what he wrote IYKWIM.

    I didn't mean for noise sensitivity and emotional maturity to be related. Typing mistake on my part...:-)
    Two separate issues. The noise sensitivity is extreme. Like the hand dryer in the public bathrooms, a lawnmower, a train tooting etc. He will scream and cry until we leave the area.

    And I meant emotional maturity. The thoughts that he has about things and situations. The other day he had not acted right while out and about with daddy. He came home and seemed really off. I asked what was wrong. He responded "I am sad" I asked why he was sad thinking he was sad because daddy took him home early for misbehaving. He answers "I am sad with MYSELF for not acting right and making daddy upset" Seems hard he has a hard time understanding the feelings he has inside you know.

    I will read about overexitabilities. Sounds like both my kids have that.
    Again, thank you for your response!

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    Must have cross posted with a bunch of you!! To everyone, thank you for your welcomes and replies!

    So awesome to find a place where one can openly talk about the issues with gifted kids. You all know how CAREFUL you have to be when talking about your kids. That means pretty much never saying anything and getting weird looks when your kid does/says something exceptional as well as does something not normal like screaming when hearing a noise.

    I will read through everything on here! I am excited. Can anyone point me in the direction where I can find the info on siblings? I would like to get a better idea of if I am dealing with one or two gifted kids here. I heard it is likely siblings will be as well.

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    Welcome!

    Annette - you may have excellent hearing but eves dropping on one conversation while maintaining another is auditory processing rather than hearing. Someone with great hearing can't necessarily do that, and someone with less stellar hearing could do it (if they could hear it).

    I have auditory sensitivity, at least one of my DDs has significantly above normal hearing, mostly in the lower register, but also has CAPD. Maybe she has CAPD because she is hearing so much more low level noise than other people and it's confusing...


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