Can you tell if a baby is gifted?

[Athenean]

I was just wondering at what age you can tell if a child is gifted? I feel uncomfortable talking to my Health Visitor or GP about it as I don't want to sound like: 'Oh my child is so wonderful, isn't she so clever!'. I hope you can help me distinguish between gifted and just bright - as this is my first child.

My little girl is 22 months. From a very young age (3 months) she was just not interested in any normal toys, she would prefer everyday items. Even those she would play with for two minutes and move on to something else. She always seemed very frustrated and would resort to crying about everything unless moved to a more stimulating environment.

Her developmental milestones weren't reached early at all. If anything pretty late but she would be perfect at them. For example, she started walking at 15 months but pretty much ran immediately. She started talking at 18 months but stringing two and three words together straight away.

We go to various playgroups and compared to most other children her main difference is very advanced emotions. She plays with dolls, nurturing them, feeding them, telling them that 'mommy is here', she tells them stories to sleep while other kids her age aren't doing those things.

She also has an incredible memory. We went on holiday with eight people to an island in Greece, I was doing the washing and she could tell whose outfit was each persons even if they had only worn it once.

She is also a little sponge, you show her something once and she repeats it immediatly. I speak to her in Greek and she grasps the Greek words very easily and is able to differentiatet her English language from her Greek.

My questions is, is this normal or not? I will tell you why it is concerning me. I was evaulated as gifted very late (age 15). My parents were not supportive of this and did not send me to a difference school, they didn't nurture my abilities and I was very stifled and a poor state school. I then went on to become a very difficult and frustrated teenager and rebelled against academics and my teachers. I don't want the same for my daughter if this is the case.

Where do I go from here? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

My only advice is that you dont use the same username on here as you do elsewhere

It sounds normal to me, and in answer to your question - you can't.

I don't really believe in giftedness but I think what you're noticing is that your DD has amazing qualities and capacities, which you don't want to see stifled by the restrictions of the educational system you had to suffer. I think that's very healthy and would encourage you to do everything you can to support and value her development.

On the memory thing: I do think that's pretty normal although understandably it shocks a lot of parents. I sometimes wonder if the memory feats of small kids aren't a bit like those of autistic savants. That is, certain highly specific things can be remembered much better than they are by most adults, precisely because the brain is not applying the normal level of filtering - subconsciously deciding what is "worth" remembering and what isn't.

Yes, confidence - my DD was very good at remembering the names of all the dinosaurs at an early age - she says she's forgotten some of them now !

Gosh my children must be very average because she sounds pretty advanced to me

But as others have said - teachers are good nowadays at picking up which children are very bright and challenging them accordingly.

She sounds bright to me, but I don't know if you can say she's gifted yet. Some children seem to "peak" very early but it doesn't necessarily mean they will be more advanced than their peers later.

She does like she has an exceptionally good memory for a child her age though.

I could tell with my DS at a very young age, in fact the moment he was born he would look around at everything and turn his head towards noises.

At 7 months he would pile bricks into different colours.

He could read at 2.5 self taught.

I can't say if your DD is gifted but I would not worry about it. IME schools are very good at providing for pupils needs, be they bright or gifted.

she sounds delightful, but normal. Their little memories are amazing! DS will remember things that he say/was told once, AAGES ago. I stuggle with the day of the week (till he comes in and tells me, he's 2.5)

I think she does seem exceptionally bright (pretty similar to my dd1) and like others have said, she may well be gifted. My dd1 is 2 years ahead in CLL and in physical ability and at the top end of her year in all subjects at 5.9. She has not been labelled as gifted, but school do give her appropriate work most of the time and at this age I am now happy to chill a little, although I posted similar questions when she was a toddler .

Enjoy and be proud that you are doing a great job! Remember learning is more than academics, life skills, experiences in museums, parks and creativity are also important for a well rounded child, which I am sure she will have with you as her mum

Kind of agree with one fat cat. Sounds like you have a lovely little girl who definitely has the potential to be 'gifted,' just continue to nurture her, giving her every opportunity to experience different things & continue to embrace her natural curiosity, as you already are & only time will tell.