In a previous post, I shared a few of my experiences with others and my twice-exceptional son. I got a request to expand on that topic by pointing out a few learning disabilities that can mask giftedness. Before I do that though, I thought it best to list some of the behaviors and characteristics you may notice in your gifted child so you can have a starting point of reference.
Charts on Giftedness
I’m not going to reinvent the wheel. Plenty of charts exist for your viewing pleasure. Here is one from the National Association for Gifted Children listing traits of gifted children. Or here is one from VeryWellFamily comparing a high achiever, a gifted learner, and a creative thinker. Or, here is one from Valerie Caveglia entitled “How Do I know if They’re Really Gifted?” which lists some perceived problems associated with gifted kids.
However, since I like charts, I have created an infographic that includes the abilities, behaviors, and traits common to gifted and twice-exceptional kids based on a Psychology Today article by David Palmer Ph.D., “Is Your Child Gifted? What to Look for, Why You Should Know.”
PLEASE NOTE: I am not a clinician, nor am I offering advice. This article is based purely on my personal experiences and my own in-depth research. It is not meant to take the place of professional diagnostic testing.
Sources:
Palmer Ph.D., David. Psychology Today. “Is Your Child Gifted? What to Look for, Why You Should Know.” Traditional screening methods aren’t the only way to identify a gifted kid. Posted May 01, 2011.
Clark, B. (2008). Growing up gifted (7th ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Republished on National Association for Gifted Children. “Traits of Giftedness.”
Bainbridge, Carol, “Differences Between Academic High Achievers and Gifted Students” There can be some overlap, but not all ‘high achievers’ are ‘gifted’. Updated November 12, 2018.
Caveglia, Valerie (2007). “How Do I Know if They’re Really Gifted?” Chart compiled from Queensland Association for Gifted and Talented Children, Inc., Challenge Magazine, and the work of May V. Seagoe.
