Most children won't be identified as gifted until they get to school, but many gifted children show the signs at a very early age. Wouldn't it be nice to know how to identify a gifted child before he or she gets to school? A lot of parents are asking how to identify a gifted child. This article will help you understand know if your pre-school aged child is gifted. There are particular signs of a bright child. Identifying very young gifted children early can make their first years in school much easier and happier.

How to Know If a 2- 4-Year-Old Child is Gifted

• Your gifted preschooler may exhibit the following:
• Unusual artistic ability, such as drawing very realistic pictures
• Uncommon interest and facility for numbers, like calculating numbers in her head
• Outpaces peers in terms of developmental milestones
• Uses advanced vocabulary
• Speaks in full sentences at a younger age than his peers
• Shows extreme curiosity, never stops asking questions
• Is very active, but not hyperactive
• Concentrates exclusively on one task for long periods of time
• Shows passion for his or her interests
• Displays vivid imagination, including multiple imaginary friends who interact with the child and each other
• Ability to memorize facts and recall information from TV, movies, or books
• Expresses a feeling that she is different from the other children
• Becomes easily frustrated due to the ability to think faster than he can communicate

Knowing For Sure: Testing Preschoolers for Giftedness

Although most preschoolers will not need to be tested for giftedness until they enter school, you may want to find out for yourself prior to that time. Ask preschool teachers, pediatricians, and friends with children for referrals to mental health professionals who specialize in working with gifted children. Many child psychologists conduct tests for giftedness. It can cost several hundred dollars, but some insurance plans actually cover the cost under mental health benefits.

IQ and ability tests can be given to kids as young as three years old. However, many in the field won't rely on test results before the child reaches age five. Until this time, scores tend to fluctuate significantly. The average IQ ranges from 85 - 115, with gifted considered by some to be anything over 130. That said, there are a lot of other factors that go into a determination of giftedness when a child is formally evaluated (usually by the school system). Objective and subjective measures, including parents and teacher impressions, are combined with test data to better understand the gifted child.