Gifted and talented children

What is a gifted child?
Gifted, advanced, high potential, talented, bright - there's no shortage of terms to describe children who have high abilities. They stand out for their intellectual development, which is quicker than that of their peers. The initial difference is an IQ higher than or equal to 125, but this is not the only difference.

Recognising a gifted child
- From a very young age, certain clues can alert parents. You may notice your child is a bright baby: most gifted children start walking at around 12 months instead of 14, speak comfortably at 2 instead of 3 and know how to read by the time they start school.
- From a certain age, they look to make friends with older children and perfect their knowledge by asking questions related to human existence and the universe. A gifted child is also a perfectionist, quite anxious, and uses advanced vocabulary for his/her age for expression. Far from being wild, gifted children like to joke and discover new passions, but tend to shun routine activities.
- Is a gifted child a good student? Not necessarily; sometimes the opposite is true. Although gifted children learn to read well early on, they often have problems writing. This paradox is due to a difference between intellectual development and psychomotor development. But the real differences are noticed when a child starts high school. gifted children are often bored in class, and this can lead to disruption, absence and daydreaming. Such children often fail at school and may suffer from dyslexia.