Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy What Should I Expect with HG+ Child?

This summer we had some evaluations done for my DS (age 6) after a recommendation by his kindergarten teacher and because of concerns my husband and I had. Mostly these concerns were around social issues(having trouble engaging groups), emotionally sensitivity as well as fine/gross motor difficulties. His teacher also suggested we have him tested for giftedness as she felt some of the behaviors and difficulties he was having could be related to this. Since getting the results I have been reading this forum trying to make sense of this new world I feel we are entering. I'm hoping for some wise words from those of you who have been where I am now...

When we received the results of the WISC-IV testing, we were shocked. His GAI puts him at PG. Even though he reached the ceiling on three of the subtests, the neuropsychologist did not use extended norms. Also he commented that his fine motor difficulties significantly impacted some of the subtests. My husband and I (as well as others who talk to him for any period of time) have always thought he is very bright, but I never expected he was THIS gifted. Since his testing, I have read a stack of gifted books, and it is like I am reading books written ABOUT my DS. So many of the personality and behavioral traits fit him to a "T." However he is also a child who hit most milestones late. He isn't a child who was adding at age 2; he didn't read early; he spoke late and was on the verge of having speech therapy.

I know that he is still young, and a lot will be waiting and seeing how he develops. However I also want to be prepared with what I can be looking out for and how best to support/advocate for him. One of my top goals is to make sure he is challenged appropriately so that when the more challenging material comes along when he gets older, that he doesn't get discouraged and not try because he thinks it all should just be easy. I have read many posts about this.

A few questions...
1. How do I know if he is being challenged at the right level at school? We are lucky that his first grade teacher this year "gets" him, and she has said that she will differentiate the work. She is known to have a good track record for working with gifted children as well as children with fine/gross motor difficulties (which my DS has). However, my son isn't like others on this forum saying he is bored, that he isn't learning anything or that he wants to grade skip. I'm realizing that he has probably never been challenged academically, and he may not know what it means to be challenged. His mind is constantly working, and he just amuses himself dreaming up all kinds of fantastic worlds, stories or inventions. He is very happy at school. However I know that the material they are presenting to the rest of the class he can easily master in a very short time if it isn't something he already knows.

2. He doesn't seem to fit a lot of what I have read about other HG+ children in terms of academically what he can do. Is he at some point just going to take off? He is a very quick learner with an incredible memory for anything, extensive vocabulary and makes connections I am amazed by. I can explain something to him once or twice, and he just gets it. After seeing my 4th grade daughter's math homework, he asked what it was. I explained it, and he got it no problem. However at the same time, he still is learning to memorize all his addition facts. A year ago exactly he wasn't reading, and now at the beginning of first grade he is reading at a level where they are expected to be at the end of first grade or into second grade and each month he seems to jump in his reading level. Are there some HG+ children who don't learn early on their own, but they just learn it much more quickly than other children?

3. In some of the research I have done, I have found opinions that IQ can change when children are young. Any opinions?

4. Any other wise words?

Thanks so much in advance. Finding this forum is the best resource I have found as we are trying to navigate this journey. I know it is going to be fun and take a TON of energy and work!