Hello, I wanted to know if my 11 year old son is gifted he can do stuff stuff in his head... for exampe he could do ( 365 X 121) without a calculator he doesn't do it in a couple of seconds it takes him a couple of minutes... it just seems like he has a better math brain then I do he can just solve things in his head real easy...

he's in 6th grade ( he's supposed to be in 5th I skipped him)
I just wanted to know if he's really gifted?? We had him take reading test and the math test he was done first every time... but 1 test in reading... he didn't do ery good in... he is a very good reader and knows a lot of words and meanings and is the best spelller in his class he tells me with statistics..
Well please answer I want to know

Maybe it might be worthwhile getting him tested for autism. 1 in 150 people are diagnosed autistic. Autism is not always severe, but it is linked to stronger math skills and weaker social and lingual skills.

An 11 year old brain will keep changing until about 21 anyway. So it may just be a 'phase' next year he may be the top drama student.

Hope this helps,
Louis.

Some people have abilities better in some areas, he most likely can "see" the math in his head and is doing the problem there instead of paper, if he did it in 10 seconds that is another level.

The issue at this age, does it really matter, let him progress, I am not even a large fan of jumping them ahead grades, it puts social pressures on them at a earlier age also. And sometimes although they are advanced in one area, they will not keep up in others if pushed to hard.

So let him be a kid, let him go to school and if he needs more challenges be there to help him.

I don't really think he has autism because he has a lot of friends and he is definitely not shy...
He's good in reading to it was just that one test I think he struggled in maybe because he got bored and he wanted to get over with... the only grade that he has been a little below average is science his first report card he got a C in science... its now a B

If your son skipped a grade and is being successful in his current grade and can do math the way you describe, I would call him gifted. Find out what classes and/or programs your district offers for students who excel at math. Help him develop his talent even further.

If we tell you he's gifted what does that mean for you and your son? I have a 5 year old daughter that could read before she was 2, is wonderful in math and science and is teaching herself spanish, but guess what, she's a 5 year old, and that's what I want her to be. Do I hold her back, no, do I push her forward, no, she is a child and deserves to be just that.

Stop worrying so much about his abilities, just let him be 11, he's only a kid once.

Sorry, but bright children must be challenged in ways that are appropriate to their needs. Those needs can be different than what would be given to a child of average intelligence. I know my school had a wonderful gifted program, and I thank my lucky stars that I got to be a part of it.

If you are really interested in learning of your son is gifted, you have nothing to lose by having a professional test his IQ. I belong to Mensa, which provides valuable information regarding gifted children. Check out their site!

One more thing: supplying your child with the right challenges does *not* mean that they will lose their childhood. Having fun is an integral part of life for all kids, no matter what their IQ.

Linnealand. I do agree somewhat. Here's my fear, and I've seen it happen too many times.

My friend is extremely intelligent, when she was a young child her parents noticed her above average intelligence, put her in programs, had her IQ tested, and then proceeded to literally drive her mad. She never had a childhood because she was constantly in some group or another learning more and more. She hates her parents because of this, and she's clinically depressed and anti-social, on more med's than most pharmacies carry.

I'm not saying that challenging your gifted child is wrong, but don't push, because there's a fine line between trying to keep him interested and absorbed and just wanting to show off and push.

As for my daughter, if she wants to know something I tell her or hand her a book. If she's curious about something we explore it, but I will never push her. She's a kid, first and foremost, and that's all she has to be. :)

As mentioned above, it would be best to be testing gifted children and providing appropriate activities according to their needs and wants - whether that might be in academic type activities or those that would involve leisure with or without friends involved. Also, best to be letting them have a childhood, as has also already been mentioned above.

The above mentioned child who was 11 at the time of the original post could have a photographic memory with very strong aptitude and assimilation tendencies toward numbers. Having a photographic memory that way can be an advantage, but does not necessarily mean that a child is all-around gifted. In the U.S. to qualify to be in gifted programs in the public schools, the student must also exhibit the drive and desire to do well in a number of subjects, and also be able to do well at an above-average level in them.

Alten, I do understand your concerns! What it really comes down to is the parenting, and it sounds like you're giving your daughter as much balance as you can. In a way, that is what's most important. A happy, stable home filled with love and a supportive attitude will give any child a much better chance for attaining happiness and success as an adult. You're right - putting a crushing amount of pressure on a child will create all sorts of problems for them. At the same time, bright children can also suffer from boredom in school and at home, which can lead to undesirable consequences. It's all about finding what's right for each child. On that note, you should feel proud of your daughter's agile and curious mind! I'm sure you do! Good luck to both of you!