As a mom of two, I’m in constant awe of my children. The way they observe the world and bounce back from setbacks is incredible, but are they geniuses? That’s hard to say with them being so young, but I love the way their minds work.
The question led me down a rabbit hole of what makes exceptionally smart children (also known as “gifted” children) different from the rest.
Experts at the Davidson Institute stated that gifted individuals are those in the 99.9th percentile on IQ tests. A score of 130 or higher means a child is gifted.
If a parent hasn’t tested their child to see if they’re gifted, certain characteristics and traits could indicate that a child has high intelligence.
What Makes A Genius Brain?
Before diving into the characteristics and signs that a child is a genius or gifted, it’s fascinating to know some of the ins and outs of a genius brain.
Professionals at WebMD. shared that there are slight differences between the average brain and a gifted brain.
Increased Grey Matter: A larger brain doesn’t mean a person’s smarter, but those with higher intelligence tend to have more grey matter. Grey matter supports everything from thinking and movement to information processing.
Active White Matter: Gifted children tend to have more active white matter. White matter is the central nervous system’s tissue that helps the brain communicate with other aspects of the body. Complex communication allows gifted children to understand complex thinking at a young age.
Superstimulability: Also known as overexcitability, this refers to gifted children having incredible senses and being sympathetic or sensitive to the emotions around them. While gifted children like to help, overexcitability can be exhausting.
The Cerebral Cortex: In a Scientific American study of over 300 gifted children, the cerebral cortex began thin before thickening to a bulkier state than that of non-gifted children.
While there are continued physical differences between gifted and typical brains, the anatomical patterns are vast.
Common Characteristics In Gifted Children
Gifted children appear to have common characteristics that hint at higher intelligence. Because they process information more quickly and are more sensitive to their surroundings, heightened neurological activity could lead to physical and emotional attributes that are noticed by those around them.
- Curious
- More mature than their age
- Emotional depth and understanding, despite a young age
- Imaginiative
- Absorbs information quickly
- Self-aware
- Emotionally needs emotional support
- Quirky sense of humor
- Spontaneous and impulsive
- Frustration when needs aren’t met or
- Temper when there’s failure
- Vast vocabulary…
No gifted child is the same, and there are plenty of characteristics that gifted and non-gifted children share. However, because of their mental absorption, attention to detail, and self-awareness, they’re able to grasp topics and situations at a higher scale.
Signs Your Child Has High Intelligence
Along with unique characteristics, a gifted child may exhibit deeper signs that can indicate high intelligence. It should be noted that Intelligence is multifaceted. A gifted child could be exceptional in math but does poorly in social studies. Or your child may be smart and self-aware, but have consistent anxiety in social situations. There’s no one way to be gifted.
High Expectations For Themselves: Gifted children have high expectations for themselves, stemming from a need for perfectionism. Their internalized perceptions of themselves, others, and situations can become emotional when their personal goals or expectations aren’t met. Their high expectations can lead gifted children to get passionate or angry over small (and big) situations more easily, as noted by the Davidson Institute.
Precision: Gifted children rely on precision and can struggle with tests or questions that offer multiple answers or options. The National Library of Medicine shared a study that found gifted children prefer accuracy over speed and may take their time to ensure something is perfect. It may be hard for gifted children to make up their minds if they don’t have accurate information.
Bored If Not Stimulated: When faced with a challenge, gifted children seek opportunities to grow. If not stimulated, they may get bored and act out because they’re not challenging themselves. If the child is in a traditional school setting, the standard curriculum may not be challenging enough for them, and they may do poorly in school as a result. If your gifted child seems bored or is acting out, speak to a counselor about skipping a grade or being given more stimulating work.
Questions Upon Questions: Children are known to ask questions as they mature and become more curious about the world around them, but gifted children ask question after question, often on deeper subjects. Intense questions allow cognitive control. Getting answers allows them to test their own hypothesis before jumping to the next conclusion. Gifted children’s questions may be deeper as their vocabulary and understanding expand.
Curiosity for New Interests: Because of a gifted child’s desire for accuracy and asking questions, they also have a strong sense for new interests. Gifted children may ask younger kids or adults more about what interests them so they can learn and adapt. Many gifted children are enthralled by the imagination of younger kids and engage with that dream world. Likewise, learning about adults’ behaviors and interests is fascinating for them. Their desire to learn new things keeps them from getting bored and allows for greater depth in learning. Many gifted children may eventually latch onto one or two specific interests and learn everything they can about them (like dinosaurs or cars).
Creative Thinking: the ability to approach something with a fresh perspective. The minds of gifted children are so complex that they excel at creative thinking. They think outside the box, enjoy brainstorming, and have fun exploring hypotheticals.
Big Emotions: As brilliant as gifted children are, they can be critical of themselves. Criticism can create big emotions in such little bodies. Absorbing and processing so much information can be overwhelming for gifted children, triggering a range of emotions when things become overstimulating. Whether it’s a positive or negative emotion, feelings can get out of control and show up in anger, frustration, hyperactivity, anxiety, etc…
It’s important to remember that gifted children (and children in general) are complex and are not one-size-fits-all. If you’re curious about your child’s mind and where they stand on the intelligence spectrum, talk to their teacher or school counselor.
Testing and Assessments
If you believe your child shows the signs or traits of a child of high intelligence, you have the option to test them for a more concrete look at their mind. Testing can give you insight into how to better serve their abilities.
Some experts suggest waiting until a child is around 3 years old to test for high intelligence. Others suggest waiting until elementary school age (6+).
Why Test: Testing allows parents and teachers to see where the child stands in different capacities. Seeing the scores can help with educational placements, prevention, and emotional needs.
Different Tests and Assessments:
- Wechsler Intelligence Scales (cognitive abilities across different age groups)
- Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales (high respected test and one of the oldest tests)
- Cognitive Assessment System (evaluates brain functioning)
- Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (Great for those who speak multiple languages)
- Achievement Tests (tests on different school subjects)
- Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (standardized cognitive assessment)
- Ravens Progressive Matrices (a non-verbal intelligence test)
- School and College Ability Test (Standardized test to identify gifted children)
If you’re interested in testing your child, talk to their teachers, counselors, or pediatrician for guidance. You can also consider joining groups, such as the National Association for Gifted Children.
