How To Tell If Your Child Is Gifted
Charles Sophy (Private Practice in Adult, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) gives expert video advice on: How do I know if my child is gifted?; What are the special needs of gifted children? and more...
What is a "gifted" child?
A gifted child is a child who will fall within the academic range outside of their peer group on the high end. They'll be able to read maybe quicker than their peers, they'll be able to do some math a little quicker than their peers and they'll be able to get some concrete concepts a little quicker than their peers. Examples of a gifted child are a five-year-old who's able to read at a first or second grade level, or a third grader who's able to do seventh or eighth grade math.
What are the special needs of gifted children?
Special needs of a gifted child will obviously be depending on that child, but they're either going to be significantly further ahead intellectually or be able to play the piano at a younger age or some kind of prodigy like behavior. So, you have be able to make sure that your gifted child stays well rounded in that process. Though you may put them further in their education you still need to make sure that you are supporting them on a social level so that they are well balanced and that they come out as a whole person.
Can a parent make a child gifted?
You cannot make your child gifted. Every child is born with strengths and weaknesses as we are as human beings. And it is basically taking the strengths of your child and moving forward with them which is what will develop your child as a human being. Some children will have strengths that go much further than others, meaning they are gifted, but everyone is different. And so, what you're born with you use and you work to the best of your abilities. Some children will be gifted because their strengths go further. Others will not be gifted, but you cannot make them gifted.
What is the prognosis for gifted children?
The prognosis for gifted children depends on how early you diagnose it and how tight you make the planning process for that gifted child; and how much you adhere to that. So if you get an evaluation early on, you find out the strengths, you find out the deficits, you build a plan, and you adhere to that. They go to their tutoring plus they are balanced out on the social aspect of their life as well, so that your gifted child is fully well rounded. You come out with a good product at the end, which is really the best prognosis you can ever give a child. So out of a hundred if you do that kind of process, you'll probably get a 90% outcome.