Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Psychomotor Overexcitability - DS Age 5 *Updated*

I would seek an outside neuropsych evaluation, preferably someone with a lot of experience with ADHD, autism, and gifted. We found the most qualified people at a local children's hospital; depends where you are.

I would also plan to share findings with the school-- right now they're labeling him as "out of control", so if another label fits better that is not so pejorative, it would be useful for school to have that.

I will add that I don't believe in OEs. Usually that term is just a way to avoid noticing and naming a 2E issue. We found that the idea that gifted kids are "all more difficult" or "naturally intense" delayed our DS's autism diagnosis by several years, in a way that did nobody any good.

It may be a matter of degree.

As a middle ground, experts in the field describe gifted intensity and overexcitability, while at the other extreme some less credentialed gifted consultancy websites share stories of children who may be twice exceptional but are described solely as "gifted". For example: a gifted first grader falling out of his chair because the room was too blue. Possibly such webpages conflate gifted and 2e issues and characteristics, serving neither community well.

That said, in some instances it may be difficult to tease apart gifted characteristics from those which may be indicative of autism or other learning difference or disability or diagnosis. While characteristics may be present, they may differ in frequency/degree exhibited.