I just wrapped up a family visit and was astonished at the differences between my DS14mo and his 17mo cousin in terms of comprehension and expression. Can you please weigh in on whether the following sorts of behaviours were typical for your children around my son's age.
1. Mechanical fascination. Takes apart toys/household objects and appears to understand "advanced" concepts, like circuits in a flashlight.
2. Can identify and name hundreds of colours, household objects, tools, animals, actions, etc. Many are complex words spoken clearly, like bulldozer or raspberry.
3. Early numeracy without being taught. Can count fingers, holds up number of fingers requested, recognizes numbers in environmental print and responds with correct number in speech/on fingers.
4. Excellent manual dexterity. E.g. Can put small gauge bits in a ratchet screwdriver.
5. Ridiculous memory. Remembers anything if taught its name/function once.
6. Prosocial skills--e.g. sharing, kissing, hugging, consoling, negotiating with tone/expression
7. Can follow multi-part instructions by generalizing concepts in new settings (e.g. From the kitchen at Grandma'a house, which we've visited three times: "Please go to the toolbox, get a screwdriver, and tighten the screw in the vent in the family room.")
8. Directional awareness--left, right, etc. (e.g. Holds up right foot when changing and says "right sock").
9. Fussiness. Wakes often at night. Only content if in constant motion and learning, even when eating.
Thanks folks. My son's paediatrician, who has been practicing for 30+ years and is a professor at a leading university, says she's never seen a case like this before. I'm hoping you can help me mentally prepare, for lack of a better term, for a ballpark level of giftedness.
What other skills/interests might come next? I was floored at the counting. I have no idea how my son picked it up. I figure I must inadvertently count with my fingers when we read or use math implicitly in everyday speech without even realizing it.
Last edited by aquinas; 01/01/13 10:10 PM.
