It's kinda strange. If you suspect it, then imo, most likely your kid **IS** gifted.
For my first born, Rite15, it was clear from day one. He was holding his head up, making eye contact, flipping over from front to back...etc...before we even left the hospital after his birth. He was barking to imitate a dog at 5 months and said his first word "woof woof" at 7, which was followed immediately by a whole slew of uncountable words. He was speaking in full sentences and telling stories at his first birthday and showing signs of deep contemplation long before his second. (I think I posted the story of his asking me if the moon was a whole or a ball, when he was 19 months old).
Yup. With Rite it was just so very clear and still is. He's a phenomenal kid.
Mite on the other hand wasn't so obvious. I knew he was very bright. He started singing at 8.5 months (the Barney Song, which made me NUTS) then other songs and words quickly followed. What happened with him is he stopped. After that it was never clear again. I did feel when he was just under 3 that he was reading...really reading...his brother's chapter books, but he would never read aloud. His verbal skills were always very precocious and showed signs of a high ability child, but then other aspects of his development were more hidden....like couldn't write and such. Turns out in the "stats" he scores as high, maybe even higher, than Rite! I always felt there was something there, but never pursued it with him because I didn't follow my gut.
So, it is tricky thing. I still contend that it YOU feel your child is gifted, it is very likely s/he IS!! Follow your gut.
And for Trin an obligatory cute story...when Rite was 6 or 7 he was teasing his dad, who has a PhD. Rite said, "You have a PhD! D...get it PhDEEEEE for Dumb!!" Then he said, "I have a PhJ. Get it J for genius!"
;^)
