it drives me nuts and also makes me really worried.
Anxiety is quite common for gifted kids, particularly high LOG gifted kids, like yours. It's almost impossible for a 8 year old kid to have the emotional maturity to handle the worries that a 12 year old level brain might be aware enough to notice.
Look up 'Asynchronous Development' as a search term for more along this train of thought.
But if it's driving your crazy, then it's a great idea to seek help.
There is the risk that your helper will 'overpathologize' because gifted kids who are this unusual are rare. But it's a risk worth taking because the same techniques will work. Read
Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults: ADHD, Bipolar, Ocd, Asperger's, Depression, and Other Disorders by Webb, et al for more along this idea.
It can't hurt to become a 'walking SuperBowl commercial' every time you notice your kid
isn't being anxious while you wait for your appointment. Every time you praise his 'flexibilty' and 'courage' you are helping him to be able to see himself as someone who is strong enough to take a chance and enjoy life.
After all, courage is when you know the risks and do it anyway, right? So having fears doesn't make a person a chicken.
My mom used to tell us all the time to 'Play the hand you were dealt.' We got the message to accept our challenges and keep trying even if it's not easy. I also like how it cuts down the comparisons between people. OK, little John down the street can do lots of stuff I can't because we were dealt different hands, but I can play my hand well or poorly.
Hope that helps,
Grinity
