Is there such a thing as ‘simply gifted’ or is that simply an oxymoran? When we talk about gifted we always look at some of the traits that seem to go with gifted such as ADHD, Asperger, etc. But ADHD and Asperger can also be present in those that aren’t gifted. I know there can be a huge amount of misdiagnosis where the traits/characteristics of some gifted people are similar to those who actually have Asperger/ ADHD. For example one of the characteristics of Asperger is difficulty in social situations, but this is also widely seen in those that are gifted and I wonder to how many people it has been suggested that they have Asperger Syndrome when they are ‘simply gifted’.
When you think about it a child that is gifted will be thinking and talking at a completely different level from the kids in their class so of course they have social difficulties. Firstly the other kids probably don’t understand the words that the gifted kid is using. Secondly they probably have no interest in what they are saying. While your gifted kid may be contemplating the ‘meaning of life’, the other kids are chasing each other around the yard. Ok so then your gifted kid is left on their own in the yard and is perhaps labelled as ‘not mixing well’.
Then your gifted kid sits in the class room where they are starting to sound out words, your gifted kid is already reading ‘Harry Potter’ so he/she gets restless, maybe fidgets around the place, perhaps he/she starts disrupting the class or asking questions about the universe when he/she should be sounding out C-A-T! Or maybe he/she just drifts off into his own world. Next thing you know he’s not only ‘not mixing well’ he’s also inattentive and disruptive. It is usually on this basis that it is suggested that an assessment be done, and if there is an ASD diagnosed from this assessment that resource hours are given. Notice if the assessment shows that your child is ‘simply gifted’ then no resource hours are available.
Why when a little one asks such big questions and displays such an interest in learning can’t they be put forward for assessment on the basis that they may be gifted????? And why can’t there be something in place to cater for those kids????? Why are those kids made to feel odd and made to feel they have to hide their talents????? And is it any wonder that by the time they finish in the educational system some of them have serious mental health issues!
It would be an interesting study to do to see how many young people attending mental health professionals are there because they are ‘simply gifted’ but have had to endure a system that doesn’t allow for their talents.
Think about it, how soon would you need professional help if all your work colleagues had an IQ of 70 or less (and I know IQ isn’t an absolute measure but am using it to make the point) How difficult it would be to constantly have to try and fit in with them, and if you were told there must be something wrong with you or your social skills because you didn’t make friends with them. And not only can you not make friends with them but you’re expected to do everything at the same level and same pace as them. I think you would soon be running to the mental health professionals!
That is what it must be like for those kids who have an IQ of 130 and above (again only using IQ to make the point) in the regular classroom!!
Shame on our education system for not catering for these children and shame on any one of us that sits back and doesn’t advocate for a system that can not only cater for but celebrate our gifted kids!
12 comments
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Bríd says:
June 7, 2011 at 8:15 pm (UTC 1)
Great post, Fidget. No case is black and white and it’s easy to head towards a “diagnosis” that may be incorrect,say, by flicking through a particular checklist.
A bit like reading the list of symptoms for some rare tropical disease and convincing yourself that you have it!
We did an inservice day recently and the tutor marked everyone on the room as on some spectrum, say AHDH,ADD,OCD and so on -we are all on a curve if we are honest.There is an overlap between many things and EA certainly can be missed in the rush to “deal” with a particular facet.
Una says:
June 7, 2011 at 9:24 pm (UTC 1)
I find the overlap very hard, it is hard to know when it is simply gifted or when it is aspergers or something similar. Perhaps being simply gifted is another part of the spectrum. In fact I am not sure I know of any simply gifted children, but is that because they are not assessed or is it because they are assessed and get a different label? I know quite a few very bright children but I am not sure if they are classed as gifted or not, but they seem to be functioning quite well so are never assessed. It is a shame that being gifted is not catered for by the education system, and we need to keep working to change peoples attitudes about gifted children.
Laura says:
June 8, 2011 at 10:10 am (UTC 1)
My 6yr old son has aspergers and I find that people expect a lot of him because of this . When I first got a diagnosis after years of so called professionals telling me I was just a panicking parent my family all expected him to have changed into some kind of Einstein over night. true he is constantly disrupting his class with questions like what is imagination and why do we prey to God if nobodies ever seen him but he also has problems with basic things like blending his sounds to make words keeping with his class instead of rushing ahead. I find as a parent people expect me to be able to account for these problems instead of asking the child who in turn comes home to me crying that nobody listens. wish they could see everybody has problems and a label does not a genius make just a misunderstood confused little person.
fidget says:
June 8, 2011 at 10:48 am (UTC 1)
Also with a gifted 6 year old there will be asynchronous development going on, so that he will be asking all the big questions but because he’s physically only 6 years old he will naturally have difficulties with basic things such as tying shoe laces etc.
Louise G says:
August 2, 2011 at 6:37 pm (UTC 1)
I have just found out that my 5yr old son is gifted. He is in junior infants but was referred by his montessori teacher last year to a paedatrician because she was worried about some of his behaviours – excessive need for routine, ritual playing, ‘sponge-like’ intelligence, perfectionism etc. He was eventually referred to Kerry Autism Services and recently assessed. It turns out that he is absolutely fine in terms of any of the conditions under the spectrum but rather he is ‘exceptionally gifted’ (I still have no idea what this really means but am waiting to hear from NEPS and hoping to learn a lot from this webite!). The psychologist felt that it was a ‘dis-service’ to my son that he was sent to them in the first place but I am grateful to his teacher for taking such an interest in him because I wonder would he ever have been assessed otherwise??
Fidget Jones says:
August 4, 2011 at 5:05 pm (UTC 1)
Hi Louise, It is great that your son has been assessed, but you are right, would he ever have been assessed if teacher had not suspected Asperger/Autism? I doubt it. So many kids are referred because of behavioural issues which turn out to be ‘simply gifted’. Thanks for posting and don’t forget to join the forum you’ll get loads of information and suggestions or simply a shoulder to cry on from time to time.
Louise Gaughran says:
August 8, 2011 at 4:25 pm (UTC 1)
Hi fidget
thanks for that – I think I might be needing that shoulder to cry on from time to time! Am still waiting on the report and am getting a little nervous about how is school will react to the news – please God they will be as progressive as I hope they are and will provide him with some support. Thanks again, the work you are doing is invaluable x
Fidget Jones says:
August 9, 2011 at 10:20 pm (UTC 1)
No problem Louise, there are plenty of shoulders on the forum, we’ve all cried on each others shoulders from time to time. And thank you for your kind words.
kaza says:
August 18, 2011 at 1:37 pm (UTC 1)
Enjoying the discussion-thank you.
Any thoughts or advice for the anxious mother of a 9 yr old boy who is gifted (he has been assessed) but this is not at all reflected in his written work at school? He is underachieving big time due to huge difficulties with spelling & retention of spellings (auditory processing difficulties) There is not much out there concerning ‘auditory processing’ and ways to help children with this specific learning difficulty & very frustrating when their giftedness is not reflected in their school work, tests, etc.
Any thoughts, experiences, direction would be much appreciated.
Fidget Jones says:
August 27, 2011 at 3:23 pm (UTC 1)
It is so hard when their giftedness isn’t reflected in school work, is dyslexia also in the mix there? Is his teacher approachable? if she is I would gather as much info as you can about auditory processing and ways to help and bring this along to him/her. Have a look at this link and see if there is anything useful for you in it. http://www.nuigalway.ie/faculties_departments/speech_language_therapy/downloads/apd_report.pdf Also I would suggest that you join the forum where other parents with similar issues will be able to share their experiences with you.
Grainne says:
November 30, 2011 at 1:50 pm (UTC 1)
Another mum here who often ponders over whether her 6 year old is just gifted or also has something else going on. He’s definitely gifted, and sometimes I think the other things may just be his natural immaturity in contrast to his intellectual hypermaturity. Other times I think his easy frustration/temper is a result of something wrong, while at other times I wonder if it’s just his frustration with a world not quite designed for 6 year olds with his ability. Maybe only time will tell, but I have to say my main concern for him growing up is how his mental health will survive his ability and how it is handled, as well as his sensitivity.
Renata Kowalczyk says:
December 10, 2011 at 8:15 pm (UTC 1)
Thats very true!! My soon was send for a assesment cause of his behawiour and ofcourse he is gifted but also kind of autistic – notb mixted well and his principal was concerne that he has only one friend… jee I was literly at war with the school, sometime I feel very helpless. sorry for my eng, Im from Poland