Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Pre-school Does my child sound potentially gifted?

Hi everyone
Obviously I realise this is an internet message board and no one will be able to actually assess my son for giftedness. Having said that, I was wondering if any of this stuff sounds like your kids? Or is this all typical kid stuff?

My son is currently 4yrs 11 months and has never had any formal schooling. He's in preschool but it is completely play based. He was always a few weeks to a few months ahead in early milestones as a baby.

I wouldn't say he's super advanced in maths and reading, he is at around about a 7yo reading level according to most internet reading level tests. He LOVES numbers, does addition and subtraction and understands multiplication (hasn't memorised times tables or anything) and simple fractions. I don't push these things at all besides reading to him a lot, and I have bought him a set of maths manipulatives and I do help him with them when he asks. He gets VERY excited about using them and is constantly wanting me to ask him maths questions. He does have a reading eggs (online reading program) membership, but uses it maybe twice a month for half an hour to an hour.

He writes (sentences) reasonably well for his age, but spells words very phonetically. (Eg paper = papr, orange = oranj) and hasn't mastered punctuation beyond full stops.

Although he's not particularly ahead in these tangible things, what makes me really wonder about him is his insatiable quest for knowledge, and the way he makes connections between topics. I'm bombarded with questions throughout the day, it's like his mind is constantly ticking over, and I'm frankly exhausted by the end of the day.

Example questions:
Why do things that are far away look like they're moving slowly when things up close look like they're moving fast when we are in the car?

What happens inside a lock when you insert the key and turn?

How did we evolve to become bipedal? And did the birds come from T. Rex type dinosaurs because T. Rexes were bipedal and birds like emus are bipedal?

Does Jupiter have the most gravity because it is the biggest planet in our solar system? What about the giant planet that doesn't have a sun (rogue planet)?

These types of questions just keep on coming all day long, and each question will spawn more and more questions. I'm constantly googling and looking for youtube videos.

From his fish dying when he was 3, he extrapolated by himself that we would die and that he himself would die one day. He is quite anxious and can get preoccupied with death/injury. He is very intense, sensitive and energetic. He has an amazing imagination and spends a lot of the day "in character" as a dragon or griffon or whatever he's interested in at that moment. He has a phenomenal memory and can remember events from years ago and describe them in great detail.

I have to remind myself that he's still 4 sometimes, because my expectations on his behaviour can be way too high due to the way he talks and relates. I've been able to reason with him and use logical explanations from a very early age. He can be very emotional and very much 4 at times, and like a small adult at other times. We can be having an in depth discussion about something complex and then he'll make a poo or fart joke and think it's the funniest thing on earth.

I've felt like there's something different about him from birth.

Ok this has turned into an essay! I'm interested to hear your opinions and won't be offended one way or the other. I was tested as gifted as a child and it made for a difficult time at school, so I wouldn't be offended to hear that he sounds typical.

Making connections and asking questions like that is highly suspicious. I don't usually say this, but I think you might be in for an interesting time at school.

Welcome!

The Davidson database contains articles which may of interest regarding developmental milestones and young gifted children. Here is one example.

The Hoagies Gifted Education website also has information about identifying gifted children including http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/young_children.htm and http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/identification.htm

The book A Parent's Guide to Gifted Children may also be of interest and help you prepare for what may lie ahead. Among other topics, Dr. Webb et al speak of existential issues and the gifted.

The spelling of certain words (e.g. "realise") indicates you may be outside the United States?

= - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - =

Update - here is a link to a brief roundup of links describing common behavior characteristics, traits, and early milestones which may indicate giftedness in infants, toddlers, preschoolers, young children. (This list may be especially useful before IQ test scores tend to stabilize, around 8 years old.)

http://giftedissues.davidsongifted....p_of_traits_is_my_baby_o.html#Post248478

Hi there! My 4.25yo daughter is just the same imaginative (she spends the day being superheroes or doctors or lately, she's been a cat pretty frequently), VERY inquisitive and she makes connections that shock me. She understands the concept of death and get suddenly terrified at the idea that she might lose my husband or I. She LOVES math, everything has to be a pattern and she will stay up until 11PM reading "secretly" in her room!

She's been ahead since day one and forgetting she's 4 is pretty much an everyday thing (until the tantrums start & I forget she isn't really the 6 or 7 year old I think she is most of the time)...

I can't answer your gifted question, obviously, but I can say that you aren't alone!

That's odd. I thought I posted an answer, but I can't find it. Anyway, to the question "Does my child sound potentially gifted?" I answer simply and directly "Yes."

Welcome, and I agree with previous posters; if I were you I would be thinking about the future on the basis that it's highly likely this child is gifted and will need to be educated accordingly. Do you have education options you're happy with? Many of us find ourselves with some processing to do of our own feelings about our less-than-optimal education at this stage, but maybe you're luckier! If you haven't come across an article called "What a child doesn't learn" (can't easily do links from my phone, but Google the title), that's a good thought-provoker.

Too true, that.

I've posted to your other thread.

Seems like "gifted" to me. I agree with others that it's the curiosity and making connections that seems key.

We didn't test for IQ until 6 1/2 because we wanted a good chance at a stable result.

Also agree that an appropriate educational environment is key. I think learning style and intellect are important. For instance, my DS does well in a Montessori environment because it tends to be self paced, and he is an organized, competitive, self starter. We have friends with kids of similar intellect who thrive in accelerated, traditional classrooms.

We looked, not only at acceleration, but curriculum. I wanted a Singapore math program because it tends to be visual and (I think) extremely analytical. I wanted a reading and language program that is engaging and teaches strong, quality writing. Whatever profession DS pursues in the future, he will need to be a critical thinker with advanced writing/presentation skills. To me, it's just a "given."

I'm guessing kiwi with a name like that! If so def get in touch with NZ assoc for gifted, has lots of resources and can recommend testers if you decide to go down that path. I'm def no expert but he sounds well ahead of my dd4.1 and she's 90% through her testing, assessor has already told us to prepare for the worst! just joking.