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    tnw912's Avatar
    tnw912 Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #1

    Dec 18, 2006, 06:12 PM
    Do you think my 5 year is gifted
    Are you able to tell me if this is Asperger of Giftness Traits?

    My 5 year always been different since birth. Never slept through the night, very fussy, very picky with eat at birth. But now he's 5 years old and he's

    *Very demanding
    *Impatience
    *Emotionally sensitive
    *Curious of everything. (Keen observer)
    *Told me last week in the principal office that he does not want to be in Kindergarten and that he belongs with the 1st or 2nd graders
    *Asking for toys with numbers very obsessed with numbers and counting, he would complete 20 pages in his K-Math book less than an hour. Does double digit addition and subtraction and I did not know he knows how to do until his grandmother just thought to test him for no reason, observer how fast I'm driving while he's in the back seat. Write numbers over 1000 on sheet of paper
    *Loves to make Dinosaurs with Play Dough
    *Very Manipulate/questions everyone/ask millions of questions
    *Had his first progress report and teacher test him to count to 1-20 and he did not want to instead he counted up to 100
    * Have good memories with it comes to math and he knows what is coming next so he likes to tell you the answer before you ask him then laughs
    *Loves to play with people and test their patterns of numbers of what comes next when he makes numbers patterns games of his own.
    *His is not and never was a sound sleeper
    *When bored at home he writes words and numbers on a sheet of paper
    *He also has sensory to sound taste and sometimes touch
    *question people about why do they eat meat
    *concerns of fairness

    He's acting out more in school with behavior, does not want to do what the teacher wants him to do, does not sleep during nape, and rather do his own thing. Never liked toys of his age we had to buy advance toys for him. The principal thinks he's just emotional immaturity and needs to be special education because of his behavioral not want to be with kids his age and that he’s bored in class.

    He will be test in January with an IQ test by a doctor because the school does not deal with gifted children. I'm just wondering if he has gifted traits or asperger traits. His teacher does not have any academic concerns with him. With his Dial Testing in pre-school he master problem solving at a 5 & 6 year old level at age 3, matching, letters, at 5 & 6 year old level as well.

    Confused please help if you can.
    electr0's Avatar
    electr0 Posts: 18, Reputation: 0
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    #2

    Dec 18, 2006, 06:24 PM
    Yes, is most likely gifted in my own opinion. But just to be sure, if the I.Q. test is above average, then he would most likely be just gifted, because it does not sound like those kind of traits would fit him if he hadd asperger traits. So taking the I.Q. test first would be the best way to find out. Although it sound like he would be gifted.
    Tallarin's Avatar
    Tallarin Posts: 50, Reputation: 4
    Junior Member
     
    #3

    Dec 30, 2006, 09:09 PM
    Passing this on from my pediatrician (gifted herself): having a child skip grades is not a good idea because they might be educationally ready but their social skills are different, and most 7 year olds really might not want a 5 year old at their birthday party (she skipped two grades and hated it) - and your principal might be right that he is just not emotionally ready and imagine what could happen if he's around older children. And just as a life lesson, he will have to learn that listening to adults and doing what we are told is a necessary part of life.

    If he doesn't want to take a nap, he could just read a book and have quiet time. "Doing his own thing" sets a bad example for the other kids (how come THEY don't get to "do their own thing").

    Your school should be able to provide the right books and learning environment for your child, we had a similar situation and our teachers adapted to my children's needs (public school).

    All children need to learn to abide by school rules and that sometimes things CAN be a bit boring...

    Thanks!
    MaxyWelsh's Avatar
    MaxyWelsh Posts: 18, Reputation: 2
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    #4

    Apr 4, 2007, 05:34 PM
    Sounds gifted to me, with perhaps some characteristic of a child with ADHD. These kids have brains that are wired so fast that EVERYTHING reaches their brain, they have no 'blockers' - hence sensativity to noise and sometimes touch. A child like this will turn the TV up really loud so they can focus on it over 'little noises' (they seem little to us anyway).
    He does sound like his maths capabilites are advanced, perhaps because he has an interest in that area. How soon did he talk fluently?
    Reading your list of thing she does (or is) was like recapping my own son's past (he is 10 now, but was exactly the same at that age - he is gifted, with ADHD.
    worthbeads's Avatar
    worthbeads Posts: 538, Reputation: 45
    Senior Member
     
    #5

    Apr 4, 2007, 06:50 PM
    He could be gifted, but don't get carried away. I would say most of the items on the list describe a typical 5 year old. You might be overestimating by a tiny bit. You say "He also has sensory to sound taste and sometimes touch". Unless I'm reading you wrong, I do believe almost every human being can hear, taste, and feel. And acting up in school could mean a number of things. You have to remember that kids this age tend to want to play, not sit at a desk at kindergarten. They want independence.

    Your child does however have a keen sense over numbers. It sound like he will grow up to be very logical. You should nurture this gift.
    LouB's Avatar
    LouB Posts: 8, Reputation: 2
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    #6

    Jun 4, 2007, 04:16 AM
    Certainly sounds like giftedness from many of the descriptions you give (and contrary to what worthbeads has posted, these are not at all "normal" for a typical 5 year old)... unfortunately many parents just think you are bragging or exaggerating, I know how you feel, hopefully you can find people who will actually listen and not judge. These things in particular signify giftedness (and Aspergers or (Autism Spectrum Disorder) ASD is often the nisdiagnosis given by inexperienced professionals who no doubt mean well but are not well versed in the differences between Aspie/ASD and giftedness... which can sometimes be quite subtle) in some kids.

    - emotional sensitivites
    - extreme curiosity
    - seeking cognitive peers (older kids)
    - particular interest or consuming passion (numbers/math)
    - incessant quetsions
    - challenges himself
    - highly inventive
    - active (less sleep)
    - physical oversenstivities (extreme reactions at times to touch, sound, taste)
    - altruistic (sense of fairness, justice)

    And Tallarin writes of someone else's anecdotal grade skipping not working however many many years of research in Australia and overseas refutes the misnomer that grade skipping is a disadvantage to gifted children's social/emotional welfare. In fact, research overwhelmingly supports acceleration options for gifted children and goes further to confirm that NOT accelerating the children who need it can be far more harmful. It has to be based on the indvidual child but whatever you do, do not rule it out in haste!

    Can I suggest you do as other have indicated and get him tested formally? It's really the ony way people will listen to you (unfortunately). Everyone says "oh, everyone likes to think their child is gifted" but that is bullocks (and research actually supports that too!). Parents do not put their hands up to say their child is gifted unless they are challenged by their child's development in some unusal way (same as any special needs really). Unless they are worried they are not fitting the typical, that they have needs that aren't/won't be met. Parents instincts on gifted diagnosis are almost always right, and teachers are far less accurate (despite good intentions often). Having a piece of paper with an IQ (although not the only measure o f giftedness by any stretch) can help get people actually listening. Most parents of gifted children find that their children actually score far more HIGHLY than they anticipated as well, as opposed to those who feel their chidlren are bright/average - they actually score in the average range.

    Schooling is designed for the middle 80%, that leaves the 10% at the top an dthe 10% at the bottom to struggle unless they have apprpriate support and strategies in place. Gifted kids DO NOT do fine without intervention (another myth that has been completely dispelled by ACTUAL data and research). It sounds like you are on track to becoming a very good advocate for your son. Get informed! You need knowledge, knowledge is power. With it you will be able to advocate for your son and have his needs met (and funnily enough behavioural issues seems to disappear overnight when you get it right - which may be grade skipping, enrichment etc). Good luck with it all!

    A few good sites would be Hoagies.com, giftedresources.org and GERRIC, but there are loads and loads of others on the net that are great resources for gifted kids.

    Cheers
    Lou
    julie_76180's Avatar
    julie_76180 Posts: 3, Reputation: 2
    New Member
     
    #7

    Jun 30, 2007, 10:19 AM
    Hi,

    I can't add much more on the gifted or not gifted questions. Lou did that very well.

    However, as a parent of a gifted child that has also 'acted out' in school, I would like to share what I have found that worked (really worked):

    1-I talked to my child... everyday, before school especially. I explained that the teacher had 30 other children to teach and that acting out took time away from those kids which is not fair. I told my son he was smarter and he was different but handling it at the classroom level wasn't going to work. I explained to him what I was doing to enable schools to be more 'gifted friendly'. (Sounds like a concept out of range, gifted children understand complicated issues such as these quickly.)

    2-I listened to my child tell me about why they acted out (usually consisting of what was done to him that just wasn't fair!). We discussed it and brainstormed on ways of better handling the issue... not avoiding it or saying the person was fair or saying the person wasn't fair, just coping skills on dealing with people who were not fair.

    3-I gave my child responsibility at home. An allowance and checklist of things to do to get it. I thought my son was too young but I was wrong. It helped his self-esteem and, for some reason, his self-control immensely. (Note: This was the suggestion of his 'unfair' teacher. I am glad I listened and tried even though I had doubts.)

    4-I had the teacher call me whenever my son was becoming 'uncontrollable'. I left my work, picked up my son from school and kept telling him, in no uncertain terms, that type of behavior is unacceptable. Then, I docked his allowance since that was one of the requirements on the 'get an allowance list'.

    The teacher and I stayed in close contact. I volunteered for projects when I could to help her. My son did not get an 'unhappy face' stamp after the second six weeks. I still say a prayer of thanksgiving daily for this teacher and for my son.
    bookreadingbelle's Avatar
    bookreadingbelle Posts: 11, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #8

    Oct 26, 2007, 05:30 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by tnw912
    Are you able to tell me if this is Asperger of Giftness Traits?

    My 5 year always been different since birth. Never slept through the night, very fussy, very picky with eat at birth. But now he's 5 years old and he's

    *Very demanding
    *Impatience
    *Emotionally sensitive
    *Curious of everything. (Keen observer)
    *Told me last week in the principal office that he does not want to be in Kindergarten and that he belongs with the 1st or 2nd graders
    *Asking for toys with numbers very obsessed with numbers and counting, he would complete 20 pages in his K-Math book less than an hour. Does double digit addition and subtraction and I did not know he knows how to do until his grandmother just thought to test him for no reason, observer how fast I'm driving while he's in the back seat. Write numbers over 1000 on sheet of paper
    *Loves to make Dinosaurs with Play Dough
    *Very Manipulate/questions everyone/ask millions of questions
    *Had his first progress report and teacher test him to count to 1-20 and he did not want to instead he counted up to 100
    * Have good memories with it comes to math and he knows what is coming next so he likes to tell you the answer before you ask him then laughs
    *Loves to play with people and test their patterns of numbers of what comes next when he makes numbers patterns games of his own.
    *His is not and never was a sound sleeper
    *When bored at home he writes words and numbers on a sheet of paper
    *He also has sensory to sound taste and sometimes touch
    *question people about why do they eat meat
    *concerns of fairness

    He's acting out more in school with behavior, does not want to do what the teacher wants him to do, does not sleep during nape, and rather do his own thing. Never liked toys of his age we had to buy advance toys for him. The principal thinks he's just emotional immaturity and needs to be special education because of his behavioral not want to be with kids his age and that he’s bored in class.

    He will be test in January with an IQ test by a doctor because the school does not deal with gifted children. I'm just wondering if he has gifted traits or asperger traits. His teacher does not have any academic concerns with him. With his Dial Testing in pre-school he master problem solving at a 5 & 6 year old level at age 3, matching, letters, at 5 & 6 year old level as well.

    Confused please help if you can.
    A lot of children within the Autistic spectrum (which includes Aspergers) show great abilities in certain areas, usually mathematical/memory/logic as they can focus and become almost obsessed with things. Einstein was reported as having Asperger's- his school reports said he was a dreamer and would never achieve anything. My brother has Asperger's and had a hard time at school, but had a phenomenal memory and got excellent GCSE results, (again, after being told he would never succeed). The fixation with number that your child is showing can be an indicator of Asperger's, so you could get your child checked to see if other indicators are present. There are loads of websites that list possible indicators. The advice that Julie has given is excellent- if your child does have Asperger's, they will struggle to live in a world without rules and often won't understand why people act the way they do. Clear boundaries really worked for my brother, as did "plan B" scenarios to help him cope with unexpected events. As Asperger's is part of the autistic spectrum, routine is important to your child, but they will need to learn that changes happen-and quickly. Coping skills should be developed as your child may struggle to empathise and relate to peers. I am the gifted and talented coordinator at a primary school and I see a significant number of children with "dual-exceptionality" (on the G&T and SEN register) and most of them are autistic or dyslexic. Remember that your child's school want the best for them, but they may not be up to date on how to provide it. You may need to be pro-active in gettiing the support your child needs.
    Mylittlesunshyne's Avatar
    Mylittlesunshyne Posts: 60, Reputation: 5
    Junior Member
     
    #9

    Nov 12, 2007, 08:47 PM
    Beethoven was the same, except for with music, but do not be happy, these people are often lonely, and have very few friends.
    MiddleAgedMage's Avatar
    MiddleAgedMage Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #10

    Nov 23, 2007, 12:03 PM
    [F] As a 52-year old adult who was ADHD as a child and am also ADHD as an Adult, also 'gifted', member of MENSA , scored 168 Weschler, and skipped 3 grades total, I have to say that if your son is NOT CHALLENGED, you may be letting his potential genius go to waste.

    Contrary to other posters comments, there are those of us 'gifted' individuals who are NOT socially dysfunctional, not lonely, not thought of as GEEKS by our or any other social circles, but happen to be well rounded and talented individuals in many spheres of human activity.

    At the age of 3 it was discovered I had an aptitude for both numbers and spatial mechanics. I was given radios and clocks, which I would disassemble, then reassemble, sometimes improving on the design. I built an AM radio transmitter when I was 7 that exceeded the FCC limits and my parents were visited by 'friendly' representatives of that agency and had to cease my neighborhood broadcasting in the Phoenix suburb in which we lived at that time.

    I am also an accomplished guitarist, also play piano and organ , any string or keyboard instrument, all by ear, I have perfect pitch, played in 3 different bands in high school, was on the Varsity wrestling team, played halfback on the football team, played on the tennis team, Presidents list scholar, but I decided to bypass college and gained employment at age 16 as a Cable Television Distribution Technician. This consisted of cable drops, distribution amplifiers, both testing, installation, and repair.

    At age 19 I changed to the automotive field, became a Parts Manager at 20, worked in automotive dealerships in Parts & Service management for 25 years, due to diligent investing was able to retire in 1999, have been doing IT consulting work since then.

    Married 1st time for 14 years, only reason we split up was because she developed a substance abuse addiction and would not admit it or go for treatment. I'm in my 2nd marriage, 15 years & counting, 3 sons, 2 daughters, 8 grandchildren, 2 of those children , again not college educated, have been in management positions for over 3 years now.

    My father was, is, and will die an alcoholic, my mother is remarried and healthy and sharp at age 72, she and her 2nd husband were missionairies for over 20 years, I've always been more oriented toward the Buddhist mindset, treat others by the Golden Rule, find your own path, be true to yourself.

    Our current educational system is, as another poster mentioned, for the middle 80%. If you do some studying up on Karl Marx and his doctrines, he stated that a State controlled educational system would be the best way to 'control' the masses. Many other of his points have been incorporated into our modern day system of government, it is almost scary when you get to digging and not just accepting the status quo.

    Speaking of government, we are not a 'Democracy' as so many think, we are truly a 'Republic' as existed in ancient Rome. Many of the founding fathers felt that , yes we should be free from the Tyranny of King George and the British empire, but no, there should be an elite cadre of individuals who are the 'ruling class'. If we were truly Democratic, there would be no need whatsoever for the Electoral College, a popular vote could decide any issues, including who won, Bush or Gore!

    I liked Thomas Jefferson's statement, "That government which governs least, governs best". The common man may not be as educated as the majority of those in the various branches of government who set policy , but if not allowed to be distracted by the plethora of media and banal excuses for culture that we are all bombarded with, has quite a good head on his or her shoulders, if only they would take time to ask questions and exercise critical thinking.

    So, get your son tested, keep him challenged, encourage him to become engaged in learning about a vast multitude of areas, see if he displays any musical ability as this will help him be more evenly developed, and remind him just because you are more intelligent or gifted or talented or any area in which he is above the bell curve, does not mean he is 'better' than other people, just that he has gifts that should be developed and nurtured.

    One thing that always struck me about Albert Einstein was how he comported himself in a most humble way, not assuming airs as some others have done, he actually did some of his most enlightened work in his later years.

    I guess I have rambled on and about and around the topic of this thread enough so I will now bid all a fond farewell, adieu adieu. Almost forgot , I also speak 11 languages fluently, guess it's easier to be a lifelong learner than BORED OUT OF YOUR MIND! LOL! Take care
    helpfulparent's Avatar
    helpfulparent Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #11

    Mar 7, 2008, 06:28 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by tnw912
    Are you able to tell me if this is Asperger of Giftness Traits?

    My 5 year always been different since birth. Never slept through the night, very fussy, very picky with eat at birth. But now he's 5 years old and he's

    *Very demanding
    *Impatience
    *Emotionally sensitive
    *Curious of everything. (Keen observer)
    *Told me last week in the principal office that he does not want to be in Kindergarten and that he belongs with the 1st or 2nd graders
    *Asking for toys with numbers very obsessed with numbers and counting, he would complete 20 pages in his K-Math book less than an hour. Does double digit addition and subtraction and I did not know he knows how to do until his grandmother just thought to test him for no reason, observer how fast I'm driving while he's in the back seat. Write numbers over 1000 on sheet of paper
    *Loves to make Dinosaurs with Play Dough
    *Very Manipulate/questions everyone/ask millions of questions
    *Had his first progress report and teacher test him to count to 1-20 and he did not want to instead he counted up to 100
    * Have good memories with it comes to math and he knows what is coming next so he likes to tell you the answer before you ask him then laughs
    *Loves to play with people and test their patterns of numbers of what comes next when he makes numbers patterns games of his own.
    *His is not and never was a sound sleeper
    *When bored at home he writes words and numbers on a sheet of paper
    *He also has sensory to sound taste and sometimes touch
    *question people about why do they eat meat
    *concerns of fairness

    He's acting out more in school with behavior, does not want to do what the teacher wants him to do, does not sleep during nape, and rather do his own thing. Never liked toys of his age we had to buy advance toys for him. The principal thinks he's just emotional immaturity and needs to be special education because of his behavioral not want to be with kids his age and that he’s bored in class.

    He will be test in January with an IQ test by a doctor because the school does not deal with gifted children. I'm just wondering if he has gifted traits or asperger traits. His teacher does not have any academic concerns with him. With his Dial Testing in pre-school he master problem solving at a 5 & 6 year old level at age 3, matching, letters, at 5 & 6 year old level as well.

    Confused please help if you can.
    NO offense, but I don't see how any of this is a big deal. My 2.5 year old can do all these gifted things you are listing and I'm not exaggerating. I'm tired of incompetent parents somehow hoping their very ordinary child is the next Einstein. Typically, the parents themselves have not excelled academically and are looking to live vicariously through their child.
    DiscreetUser's Avatar
    DiscreetUser Posts: 4, Reputation: 0
    New Member
     
    #12

    Apr 9, 2008, 02:51 PM
    I would say that your kid is certainly gifted, like most other kids who are all gifted in one way or the other. I am a mom to a 5 year old too who is very active (maybe hyperactive) and has high levels of energy that is difficult to train or control. My kiddo is exceptional with math and numbers too and I got some 1st grader math books that he is able to complete with lots of ease. He is good with spellings and lots of other things. While I take lots of pride in his mathematic and word skills, I am equally concerned when he would not focus in class or listen to the teacher's instructions which according to me should be as important as mathematical abilities. Often times it's more important for a kid that he/she follows rules and instructions as opposed to just showing off their abilities or talents. While it's okay for kids to have a favorite subject or an activity, I personally think that we as parents are supposed to teach them how to be a balanced kid as well and listen to instructions as well as respect the teachers/parents. If you just encourage on how he/she behaves, then your kid might grow up into an adult who always wants his/her own ways with things. Your kiddo might be gifted in certain areas, but like my kid, I believe he/she would do good in getting at par at his/her focusing skills, listening to instructions, social interactiveness, and polishing skills at other areas like science, history, geography, arts, music, etc etc etc. I plan to enroll my kid into several activities (like karate, guitar, dance lessons etc) so that I can channelize his excess energy into some creative direction... so in the long run he can benefit more out of his exceptional talents.

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