The Gifted Child

Introduction

We are all familiar with the concept of “the gifted child.” Certain children and adolescents have skills and abilities that far exceed those of most of their peers. Yet, when pressed by parents or schools to diagnose and manage giftedness, we find that working with a gifted child is not simple. As pediatricians, we advise patients and families about a wide range of developmental and behavioral phenomena. When we encounter a gifted child, we need to be aware of the great variety of skills and abilities that constitute giftedness. This developmental variation may affect family function. Further, we need to advise families about helping their exceptional children succeed in their academic and social lives.

Robinson and Olszewski-Kubilius, writing in this journal (Pediatr Rev. 1996;17:427–434), addressed the topic of gifted and talented children. They listed a number of characteristics of these individuals and addressed child and family issues that may arise during each period of a gifted child’s development. The following clinical vignettes demonstrate the highly variable nature of giftedness and highlight important issues that the pediatrician must address to provide optimal management. It must be noted that these cases all depict“ schoolhouse giftedness,” where the linguistic or mathematical-logical domains are greatly advanced. Other children may be gifted in other areas, such as spatial reasoning, music, art, or kinesthetic ability. These children also need special attention and nurture.

Case 1

Adam was 3 years and 4 months old when he presented for his first health supervision visit, which occurred soon after his father accepted a position as a history professor at the local university. Adam’s mother, who had a graduate degree in children’s literature, chose to defer her academic career while raising Adam and his 9-month-old sister Jodie. Findings on the medical history and physical examination were normal. The developmental history also seemed …