What was your gifted baby like?

[Calliope84]

We went to the peds this morning and were told DD was one of the most advanced 4 month olds she'd ever seen. I don't know if it means anything really, though. She is sitting unassisted, LOVES looking at books and trying to flip pages, tries to lunge forward into a crawl, picks up all kinds of things and looks for them when dropped and is just generally pretty alert and interested in the world. I tested as gifted when I was small and I have no idea if she will be, but I was wondering what your gifted babies were like?

I know it is too early to tell, btw!!!  I am just pretty curious. ;)

Edited by Calliope84 - 11/14/11 at 7:20pm

[blessedwithboys]

My boys both sat up alone like that at 4 mos.  Warning: They both walked, ran, and climbed stairs at 9 mos!  Get ready, mama!  LOL

Both of my kids have sensory issues which I realize in retrospect is why they sat up early.  They hated the vestibular sensation of laying on their backs and sought proprioceptive input in their legs, so they either sat up or would stand up holding onto the couch or occasioanlly the inside of a pack n play.

They both read fluently by age 4.

FWIW, both of my kids have IQs in the 130 range.

[reezley]

Very cute, I can say that much!  She seems wonderful.

All I know is we knew from the minute ds1 was born that he was amazingly alert and curious.  He hasn't changed in 6 years.  Sometimes we look back and are amazed how "him" he was even as an infant. 

[pranava]

Wow!  She is very coordinated, focused, and adorable!  :)  My son definitely couldn't sit unassisted at 4 months, but he could hold his own bottle and started playing peekaboo without any teaching or prompting.  He'd hide his face on my shoulder, then lift his head and smile at people standing next to me, then hide again and laugh.  He also said mama and clearly used it with meaning.  He was just beginning to grab at parts of my face when I named them.  Of course, he's still too young to say he's gifted, but he is very verbally and cognitively advanced compared to his peers. 

What seems particularly interesting to me is you DD's focus for the toy and the book.  Isn't it fun! :)

[Calliope84]

Originally Posted by blessedwithboys 

My boys both sat up alone like that at 4 mos.  Warning: They both walked, ran, and climbed stairs at 9 mos!  Get ready, mama!  LOL

Both of my kids have sensory issues which I realize in retrospect is why they sat up early.  They hated the vestibular sensation of laying on their backs and sought proprioceptive input in their legs, so they either sat up or would stand up holding onto the couch or occasioanlly the inside of a pack n play.

They both read fluently by age 4.

FWIW, both of my kids have IQs in the 130 range.

 I asked my dad today and he said mine was in the 130 range, too, when I was tested. (Though I was tested two days before my appendix BURST and I was in a lot of pain! Don't know if that affected anything lol.) As for the sensory issues, can you tell me what I should look for or give me some good links to read up on that? She had some bad reflux /colic in the beginning until I figured out she had dairy and soy allergies. She never would lay flat and spent most of her time in a sitting type position. I figure that could have helped strengthen her muscles sooner.

Originally Posted by pranava 

Wow!  She is very coordinated, focused, and adorable!  :)  My son definitely couldn't sit unassisted at 4 months, but he could hold his own bottle and started playing peekaboo without any teaching or prompting.  He'd hide his face on my shoulder, then lift his head and smile at people standing next to me, then hide again and laugh.  He also said mama and clearly used it with meaning.  He was just beginning to grab at parts of my face when I named them.  Of course, he's still too young to say he's gifted, but he is very verbally and cognitively advanced compared to his peers. 

What seems particularly interesting to me is you DD's focus for the toy and the book.  Isn't it fun! :)

Thank you! DH and I both think she has tried to say dada and she always sounds like she is trying to say dog when she spots the dog, but I really don't know if she is. I play the "eyes, nose, mouth, KISS!" game with her and she's been grabbing them on her own when I say the words for awhile, now, too. I thought maybe it was just a coincidence, but she still does it and it sounds like she isn't alone on that! ;)

I don't know if she will be gifted or not, but I would like to keep her mentally stimulated and challenged so she can keep discovering and growing. I bought that cone sorting toy because I was starting to suspect she might be ready for it early and I am so happy I did! She loves that thing. I am going to smile myself silly the first time she figures out how to put it back together haha.

Edited by Calliope84 - 11/14/11 at 7:21pm

[tuesdaymom]

My dd was very alert @ birth could lift and turn her head when we brought her home and smiled @ 2 weeks. Sitting not that early more like six months by herself. 5 months I got her the foot book by dr suess. She made me read it to her ten times I had thought it was funny she just kept on handing it back to me. From that day on we probably read 30 to 40 books a day. Cat was her first word @ 6 months by 9 months she was putting 2 words together. Crawling and walking was average. She did start to army crawl @ 5 months. I still look @ videos and say omg was she really that little doing that. I thought everyone @ the hospital was just being nice. They kept on asking my husband are you sure this baby was just born. If u gave her a book @ 8 months up side down she knew and would turn it the right way. Her 9 month well visit the dr told me to start saving for college. she is only 22 months now so not sure if she is gifted. I do feel in the past week my baby is not a baby. She can clip and unclip her harnest in the carseat and booster seat wich is not good and loves to take her clothes off. Oh enjoy her @ that age. I'm starting to ramle on....

[physmom]

She's absolutely adorable, I love that bow!  Sigh, I miss having a baby around...

DD hasn't been tested yet but here are some of her baby milestones:

3.5 months- sat up, turned pages in one of her books

4.5 months- crawling/could stand alone holding onto something if put into that position)

5.5 months- pulled up to standing

6 months- first words (had about 5 words+5 signs), loved to be read to and would pick out books to read if you laid them in front of her, started cruising

8 months- first steps

9 months- started walking/climbing/walking upstairs

blessedwithboys that's really interesting what you said about sensory issues, I never thought of it like that.  DD has sensory issues and was across the board early with movement milestones, I never though of a connection between the two. 

Oh, and DD was definitely a high needs infant, she's still very spirited. 

FWIW, DH and I were both gifted and had very different milestones.  I was pretty typical but would have these blips of craziness (was doing shape shorters at 9 months) and DH was across the board early but didn't speak until he was 2.

[whatsnextmom]

You DD is certainly a cutie.

I have two kids now 10 and 14. They both are considered gifted and both tested in the 99.9th percentile on our district test (though I take those scores with a grain of salt.) They couldn't have been more different.

My eldest was very alert from birth. The nurses were quite startled by how she was focusing on people visually and turning and reaching towards sounds shortly after birth. She was very serious by day and collicky for hours every night until about 6 months. She sat independantly at 4 months and started using some words. She was always sorting things by color, shape, size. Her fine motors were very advanced. By 7 months, she started puting words together and full sentances before her 1st birthday. She first crawled at 7 months and went straight to her bookshelf where she sat for 45 minutes straight looking at books by herself. She would also fix anything that was out of place in the house.... well, everything she could reach. She started walking at 9 months. People didn't really like DD as a baby. She was very focused and serious and that made people very uncomfortable. That turned around as she aged as both her traits became more acceptable in an older child and she started letting others see her more playful side.

DS was an easy baby. He rarely cried, very sociable, started smiling at about 3 weeks and giggling shortly afterwards. He noticed every little change in us or the household and thought it was hilarious! He didn't really sit outside of a chair or on our lap until about 6 months because he prefered to be on his stomach propped on his elbows. He also rolled everywhere as opposed to crawled. He did eventually crawl about 8 months and walked at 10 months. Very weak fine motors. He didn't say anything until 19 months but at that point, spoke in full sentances with very advanced vocabulary. He loved puzzles and although he didn't speak, you knew he understood what he was saying because he would point or get anything you asked for... sometimes being really clever about it. He was just a charming baby and people crossed rooms to interact with him. Course, he was a really, really tough toddler/preschooler unlike DD who was super easy!

[Galatea]

Adorable baby!

I have 4 kids and they have all been very different as babies.  Ds1 and ds2 were very average physically (crawl at 7 mos, walk at 12 mos.)  Ds1 didn't talk till 2.5 years (late) but then talked in sentences.  Ds2 talked at 1.5 years (normal.)  Dd didn't walk til 15 mos (late!) but talked at 9 mos (early.)  Ds3 is by far my most physically gifted child - he held his head up from birth and since 1 month was trying to sit up by doing crunches.  This actually delayed his real sitting up b/c crunches are not how you sit up!  Finally he got it last week and now is going right to rocking onto his knees.  He is ninja-fast with grabbing, and ridiculously strong.  They all are very bright/gifted, and yet nothing in their development has been similar or predictable.

My brother and I are very different people and both PG.  So different that it is almost unbelievable.  So, long and short of it: I think they are all so different in how their talents line up, and it is so much fun to watch them develop!  Enjoy her!

[KCMichigan]

Originally Posted by Galatea 

Adorable baby!

So, long and short of it: I think they are all so different in how their talents line up, and it is so much fun to watch them develop!  Enjoy her!

Ditto this.

My two were premature and actually fairly delayed on gross motor skills. One DD still is behind for social and gross motor (she has other health concerns). Fine motor skills have consistantly been advanced.

That said- one DD was VERY alert as a baby (even with gross motor delays) and the other was not, in fact she was sleep y(still is) and reserved.

Dont know 'how' gifted they are, but Prek teachers have suggested they are very very bright. Both reading fluently (late 1st/early 2nd) by 3.5 and 3.75. Writing simple words at 3, etc. Advanced vocabulary (though one was a late speaker) since they started testing them on oral language at 18 mon.

So have fun! Enjoy-- and know that every kid is different.

[chaimom]

Both of my boys have been tested and are highly gifted.  My dd is barely 5, so hasn't been tested, but I'm certain she's on their level. She started reading just before age 4 and one of my boys read his first book at 3 1/2, a milestone because I was going into the hospital to have my dd the next day.  All my kids were obsessed with books by about 3 months.  I would say your daughter certainly shows the signs of giftedness or even HG.  It's that focus and intensity, not just her abilities.  

One of my boys walked at 8 months and would follow me around the house in a walker at 4 months.  He smiled within weeks and could engage people by 3 months.  His brother wasn't interested in that and would do what your dd is doing and sit and play with a single toy for a half hour or longer. That boy said, "What's that?" all the time starting at 6 months.  He could do shape and color sorters at 6 months.  He's the one who could read books at 3 1/2.  He recently told me he could read before that and would follow along with the words as I read stories-- but I had no idea. He also finds it impossible not to give me "parenting tips" for my daughter based on things he experienced at her age (which I was unaware of)!

I think your interaction with your dd is lovely.  You're doing a great job of following her interests and I think that book is perfect for her!   It's so impressive that she can turn the pages. One thing I would suggest based on some of the reading I've done is to narrate what she's doing to increase her vocabulary.  "Oh, you're grabbing the pink ring.  It's round and hard."  Personally, I wouldn't tell her she's so smart. Research shows that when smart kids are told this, they tend to give up when faced difficult tasks, and start to doubt their abilities. (Of course we're talking about once they enter school.)  Instead, I would say something like, "You're trying so hard," or "You know exactly what you want to do-- keep working-- you can do it. Yay!"   You want to praise the specific effort.  And FWIW, all three of my kids think the phrase "good job" is condescending.  I don't know if that really applies to a 4 month old though!! :)

Congratulations on your beautiful, adorable, obviously smart little girl.

[Calliope84]

Originally Posted by chaimom 

Both of my boys have been tested and are highly gifted.  My dd is barely 5, so hasn't been tested, but I'm certain she's on their level. She started reading just before age 4 and one of my boys read his first book at 3 1/2, a milestone because I was going into the hospital to have my dd the next day.  All my kids were obsessed with books by about 3 months.  I would say your daughter certainly shows the signs of giftedness or even HG.  It's that focus and intensity, not just her abilities.  

One of my boys walked at 8 months and would follow me around the house in a walker at 4 months.  He smiled within weeks and could engage people by 3 months.  His brother wasn't interested in that and would do what your dd is doing and sit and play with a single toy for a half hour or longer. That boy said, "What's that?" all the time starting at 6 months.  He could do shape and color sorters at 6 months.  He's the one who could read books at 3 1/2.  He recently told me he could read before that and would follow along with the words as I read stories-- but I had no idea. He also finds it impossible not to give me "parenting tips" for my daughter based on things he experienced at her age (which I was unaware of)!

I think your interaction with your dd is lovely.  You're doing a great job of following her interests and I think that book is perfect for her!   It's so impressive that she can turn the pages. One thing I would suggest based on some of the reading I've done is to narrate what she's doing to increase her vocabulary.  "Oh, you're grabbing the pink ring.  It's round and hard."  Personally, I wouldn't tell her she's so smart. Research shows that when smart kids are told this, they tend to give up when faced difficult tasks, and start to doubt their abilities. (Of course we're talking about once they enter school.)  Instead, I would say something like, "You're trying so hard," or "You know exactly what you want to do-- keep working-- you can do it. Yay!"   You want to praise the specific effort.  And FWIW, all three of my kids think the phrase "good job" is condescending.  I don't know if that really applies to a 4 month old though!! :)

Congratulations on your beautiful, adorable, obviously smart little girl.

Wow! I look forward to all the things she is going to do next! She just started crawling backwards and said "dog" (she says it more like "og", though) to the dog yesterday, so I think she will be very mobile pretty soon. I will try some of the tips you've given me. When I wear her and clean around the house I tell her everything I am doing and picking up. We went to the grocery store the other day and she was completely enthralled by everything, especially all the produce. I told her names and let her touch each thing I bought. I have read that, about not saying your child is smart. I think it was in the book Nutureshock, maybe. I say "You can do it!" a lot. My parents always told me how smart I was and it definitely wasn't a good thing because I became afraid of doing anything that might make me look stupid. I didn't want to try anything I might fail at after awhile. I'll try to work on what I say! If she is different, I don't want her to really know she is for awhile.  I'd rather her just be able to learn at her own pace and not be concerned about artificial constructs like what "grade" reading or math she is doing.

Do you think testing her is a good idea? I have mixed feelings about this. I was tested and I sometimes wonder if I would still test as gifted, even now. On one hand, it helps me to understand why I had a hard time fitting in with my peers and why I reacted negatively to challenges in school when they finally occurred. On the other hand, I feel like I should have accomplished more at this stage of my life, and that I somehow didn't fulfill my potential academically. I tend to use it as a reason why I was so bored in college and I feel like maybe I should have somehow struggled through the boredom to finish a degree. (Though I was thinking a lot about self-discipline last night and I determined that no one really ever does anything unless they have some strong intrinsic motivation to do so. Hence, why so many diets fail, etc. The only way to do things you hate to do and that have no meaning for you is if someone basically breaks your spirit and forces you to. Not worth it...)

[Mom2Grace]

DD--age 9 (never been officially tested, but if not gifted is still the top of her class), was totally average as a baby.  Sat up at 6 months, crawled around 9 months, walked at 12 months--really average and a late talker.

[ellemenope]

DD stood (with very little support) at 3 months, probably a little sooner, and was sitting well at 4 months. We also have one video of her completely supporting her head for a good 20 seconds at 3 days old. We attributed it to the nasty reflux she had. She is still a bit hypertonic. 

It did contribute to the overall level of awareness she had. We have another video of her at less than two weeks supporting her own head and turning it almost 180 degrees as she tracked my husband across the room.   And, I can attest that was just how she was. She was following everything at a young age.

I am glad we have all this video history to look back on because at the time we had no idea it was a tad ahead.  We were consumed with medical things with her (and me,) one of which was cosmetic, and we just wanted our baby to not be stared at!  Funny, we were actually more concerned about her level of cuteness, than intelligence. She also did things cooky, like socially smiling at 3 weeks, but then not laughing, not once, until almost 6 months. She  never rolled over, but could push herself up into a sitting position at 5 months. 

I actually wish we could be so ignorant today. I do not envy you for dealing with these thoughts and feelings at 4 months.  She sounds like a doll, though!

[Calliope84]

Originally Posted by ellemenope 

DD stood (with very little support) at 3 months, probably a little sooner, and was sitting well at 4 months. We also have one video of her completely supporting her head for a good 20 seconds at 3 days old. We attributed it to the nasty reflux she had. She is still a bit hypertonic. 

It did contribute to the overall level of awareness she had. We have another video of her at less than two weeks supporting her own head and turning it almost 180 degrees as she tracked my husband across the room.   And, I can attest that was just how she was. She was following everything at a young age.

I am glad we have all this video history to look back on because at the time we had no idea it was a tad ahead.  We were consumed with medical things with her (and me,) one of which was cosmetic, and we just wanted our baby to not be stared at!  Funny, we were actually more concerned about her level of cuteness, than intelligence. She also did things cooky, like socially smiling at 3 weeks, but then not laughing, not once, until almost 6 months. She  never rolled over, but could push herself up into a sitting position at 5 months. 

I actually wish we could be so ignorant today. I do not envy you for dealing with these thoughts and feelings at 4 months.  She sounds like a doll, though!

This really sounds like DD! She also smiled at 3 weeks and she is SO SERIOUS. She giggles once in awhile, but she doesn't laugh like I see all these young babies doing on youtube. If I find  something to make her laugh, she becomes accustomed to it really quickly and stops giggling.  I do the craziest stuff to get her to laugh because it so rare and I love it when she does!

[Linda on the move]

Originally Posted by KCMichigan 

Ditto this.

My two were premature and actually fairly delayed on gross motor skills. One DD still is behind for social and gross motor (she has other health concerns). Fine motor skills have consistantly been advanced.

That said- one DD was VERY alert as a baby (even with gross motor delays) and the other was not, in fact she was sleep y(still is) and reserved.

One of my DD had multiple system delays as a baby/toddler and is officially gifted. She was also a VERY alert baby.

My other DD spent most of the first year of her life screaming, and is gifted and talented and pretty darn amazing now. I have no idea when she did anything. Between dealing with her screaming and her sister's many appointments for therapies and evaluations, that year is pretty much a blur.

[dessismama]

Similar story here... My highly gifted 12 yo was very intense and alert but completely average in milestones as a baby (just like Mom2Grace's child). The only difference is he spoke really early and in two different languages. His sister and brother, who are only moderately gifted, crawled and walked earlier but talked later.
 

Originally Posted by Mom2Grace 

DD--age 9 (never been officially tested, but if not gifted is still the top of her class), was totally average as a baby.  Sat up at 6 months, crawled around 9 months, walked at 12 months--really average and a late talker.

[Aufilia]

I haven't the faintest if DD was a particularly alert baby (she was my first! lol) but she did love books early. She would always sit quietly and seem to pay attention when we read to her from about 2 months onward.  Her comprehension was very good and she's always enjoyed books that were "too advanced" for a child her age. She started to read around age 3 and I would guess she is reading on a 3rd grade level now (she's 5).

She started to talk around 8 months and never stopped; she easily had 500 words by 18 months. She has a good vocabulary now and uses a lot of complex words I don't hear from other 5-year-olds.

She had poor gross motor skills but sat alone at 6 months and crawls by 9--but then she didn't walk until 21 months. She is still taking physical therapy.

She also has sensory processing disorder, which in hindsight was apparent by the time she was about 1. She hated getting wet or dirty, hated messy hands, would flip out if something got spilled, has always been very, very particular about sleeping arrangements (never would cosleep -- she just couldn't handle being in our bed).  She still naps every afternoon--I think she needs it to unwind after being bombarded with sensory input at school all morning.

My son, who is 18 months, is opposite in nearly every way. He says 5 coherent words but has spectacular gross motor skills. Coslept until 14 months (but isn't much of a sleeper in general).  Couldn't've cared less about books until recently. Good problem solving, but seems fairly average in most ways. I haven't the faintest idea if he'll turn out to be gifted or not.

[marimara]

My dd was a very alert baby.  I have photos of her at 3 days old, eyes bright, wide open staring around the room and and at us.  As a baby she absolutely loved bright colors, paintings, books, and stories.  She was sitting up (propped up) at 4 months holding books and turning the pages. She would sit and look at them for a looong time.  She knew the alphabet/letters/numbers at 15 months and started reading 3 letter words at age 2.  Her gross motor skills were average, maybe a bit delayed.  She didn't crawl till 9 months, didn't walk till 13 months.  She couldn't ride a tricycle till she was almost 3.  She didn't get her first tooth till 13 months either.  Today as a 4 year old, she's reading on a 3rd grade level, writing stories and "books", is very creative, inquisitive,  and intuitive.  Her vocabulary is amazing and everyone comments on her intellect. The pediatrician told us she's most likely gifted which we know anyways.  Both parents (me and dh) were gifted as children.  She still is a bit slower physically.  She rides a bike now (with training wheels) and a scooter.  She can run and skip and dance and climb, but is still fairly clumsy and is prone to accidents, lol.  She has some sensitivities and I suspected Sensory Processing issues for a while but she hasn't had any therapy for it.  Her ped said that most gifted kids are fairly sensitive and that is most likely a part of it.  

[emmaegbert]

My son was very coordinated (like somewhat extraordinarily so, similar to your DD we have lots of pictures of him sitting and playing unassisted at 4m), he had definite favorite books by 7mo, he had quite a few signs and words by about 9m (I didn't count and I am not a good record-keeper by nature), and he walked very average time, one day after his first birthday. He could climb ladders with ease unassisted at 13m, could jump well by 14m, and so on. He began to vocally protest dirty/wet diapers and request to be changed at 15m, and was regularly using the potty if it was offered at 18m. He is still remarkably coordinated and graceful. He has always had excellent fine motor skills. He was speaking in complete grammatical sentences using past and future tenses etc by 2 (probably before 2, but I didn't realize it was unusual b/c several of the other kids he was friends with were more advanced). He was a joyful, super-energetic, strong-willed, funny, affectionate kid. He had lots of separation anxiety and definitely engaged and communicated far more with me than others. He tested 99.7 percentile on the WPSSI-III at age 5 (but that includes hitting the ceiling on several subtests for visual-spatial stuff so its *possible* that is a low-ball score). He did not read words or numbers independently until recently (at 6).

DS is at a gifted school with kids I believe all tested high-99th percentile (I haven't asked their parents) but I can easily see (and *have* heard, unprompted from several other parents) that many of the kids in his class have gross and fine motor delays, speech articulation issues, and issues with impulse control and problems with being easily overstimulated. I have no way to know if this is occurring at a higher-than-normal rate, or just normal for the age group- I am not an expert in this. Many of those kids with these "problems" are far advanced over my son in reading and math and may test higher. So I would certainly say that physical development doesn't seem to track with academic giftedness from what I've seen.

And as a parting thought- frankly with a baby I would recommend don't worry too much and don't put too much stock in those development trackers (unless your child is *delayed*- that may be different). A LOT of it evens out. What is important is to be there with her, where she is at. I just had to learn not to look at other kids and think "what is wrong with that limp, floppy baby" when they were perfectly fine- in fact their parents were well aware that they were just as magical and wonderful as my baby ;)

And as for IQ testing... From what I understand, there really isn't any point in testing a baby or toddler. I felt it was a bit silly to test my son at age 5 but we did it for school admission reasons. Basically testing becomes relevant when its guiding decisions about educational settings/choices or in more complex theraputic/diagnostic situations.