Telltale signs of a gifted child
- It's not just IQ
- An ability to retain information
- Marked differences in some qualities, but not all
- Questioning the world around them
- Early reading
- Patterns and puzzles
- Exceptionally creative
- Reasoning skills
- Comical, bizarre, or absurd
- Doing things their own way
- Critical thinking and rationalizing
- The unoccupied gifted child
- Idealism
- Academic performance may not indicate a child is gifted
- Identification of a gifted child
It's not just IQ

A gifted child isn’t defined only by them having an exceptionally high IQ. The term can also be applied to children who are fast learners, are motivated, have leadership skills, are very creative, or are adaptable.
An ability to retain information

Some estimates suggest that the average child may have to hear something eight to 15 times to retain it, whereas a gifted child may only have to hear something once or twice.
Marked differences in some qualities, but not all

“To be gifted, a child does not need to excel in each of these areas,” says Dr. Kahina Louis. “But there should be marked differences in at least some of these qualities in comparison to others their age.”
Questioning the world around them

A gifted child may question the world around them in unusual ways compared to other children their age. An example of this is blogger Becky Beach’s 11-month-old son asking her if he could change his name.
Early reading

Early reading is one of the most prominent telltale signs of a gifted child, especially one who is gifted in language. These children will recognize letters, patterns, phrases, and sounds at a higher level than their peers.
Patterns and puzzles

Recognizing patterns and being exceptionally good at completing puzzles is another sign that a child is gifted.
Exceptionally creative

Another common trait for a gifted child is being exceptionally creative. The ability to conceptualize information and translate it to seemingly unrelated circumstances is a clear sign of intelligence.
Reasoning skills

Having advanced skills regarding reasoning (which may come across in arguing or debating) is a sign of a gifted child.
Comical, bizarre, or absurd

Another trait of a gifted child is having an exceptionally keen sense of the comical, the bizarre, or the absurd.
Doing things their own way

Gifted children will often have their own approach and ways of going about how they tackle school assignments or challenges outside of school.
Critical thinking and rationalizing

The ability to think critically compared to other children their age is telling that a child is gifted. They may cite reasons for their position on an argument, and counter other people’s points with ease.
The unoccupied gifted child

A gifted child will feel at ease when they are engaged. As a result, gifted children may become difficult or challenging for parents when they don’t have a way to channel their energy.
Idealism

Furthermore, a gifted child is often idealistic and has a sense of justice that appears at an early age.
Academic performance may not indicate a child is gifted

There are many cases where a child is gifted but will perform poorly in an academic sense. It can be surprising for parents to learn that their academic performance and giftedness don’t always align.
Identification of a gifted child

Parents aren’t usually the ones who notice that a child is gifted. Usually, people such as other family members, doctors, and teachers will pick up on these traits.