I have a preschooler who is extremely smart. Most people say he is too smart. He is having a lot of behavior problems both at home and at school. The director at his school thinks he is gifted. Many others have said he is probably ADHD, but I don’t believe it.

 

Can you please point me in some direction to have my son tested and also to find schools that specialize in gifted and talented? I am lost. I am a desperate mother with a beautiful and bright child who just needs some special attention.

 

Being a parent is never easy. There are no magic answers. It sounds, however, like you would benefit from two things: a professional evaluation of your child (both intellectual and behavioral) and information for yourself.

 

Like every other area of life, you will find that the more you learn about giftedness and gifted education, the more you will realize there is to learn. It is not an exact science and much of it is driven by polarized opinions and philosophies. Start by going to the National Association for Gifted Children State Affiliation Association Websites page where you will find a list of gifted associations by state. Browse not only your own state’s website, but those of other states. For instance, California has a lot of good resources listed, no matter where you live. Click on various links and you will learn about magazines and journals to which you might want to subscribe, conferences to attend, contacts, etc.

 

By browsing these different areas, you will learn about some of the many different definitions of giftedness and you will learn that it is also possible to be both gifted and have ADHD (or any other learning problem). You will find parenting suggestions as well. The people listed as contacts at your state’s association website may be able to recommend psychologists in your area who test for giftedness and behavioral issues and who also offer appropriate counseling. By having your child evaluated, you will better understand his needs and where to go from there. If you do find that your child is gifted, you can go back to your state association and ask for help in locating schools in your area that specialize in gifted and talented.