Most people that have experienced the company of gifted children and have felt these emotions don't typically mean "bad" in the worst meaning of the word, but more like "undesirable", or "hard to cope with."  Don't believe us, well let's review some of the tendencies of gifted infants.  Before we continue I want to disclose that in no way am I saying giftedness is bad.  Only that others can perceive certain behaviors as "undesirable" or "hard to cope with"-  If we're being honest, most of us have done it in some way or another, i.e. having seen a child behaving a certain way and say to ourselves "Not me." or "I would never let my child do that."  Moving on...  When it's all said and done if you or someone you know has a baby with said characteristics you may have a better understanding as to why, as well as, how to better approach them. 
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Additionally, there are many signs and characteristics of giftedness that occur in infants.  However, for the purposes of this article, we will be focusing on the following few.  

• Usually active (though not hyperactive)- can be perceived as overactive
• Needs less sleep than most other babies- shorter naps, less naps, less overnight hours
• Needs almost constant stimulation when awake- needs to be repositioned very frequently, doesn't sit alone well/gets bored in short period of time (10 minutes or so).
• May be extra sensitive to smells, textures, sounds, and/or taste- May be prone to crying or showing agitation when certain senses are triggered
• May be fussy, cranky, or agitated when under stimulated- desires constant interactive engagement be it talking/books/puzzles/songs/flashcards/games/activities
• Often cry more than their peers as a result of having more reasons to- for gifted babies, crying is a true form of communication, it is there way of having their say regarding decision making.  They can also be stubborn, meaning they won't stop until the situation is rectified.  If you try to give them orange puffs and they want yellow puffs they will let you know.

Granted the characteristics listed above may seem harmless when taken into account one at a time- however, gifted babies and children often display several characteristics of giftedness at a time.  To gain a better understanding, look back at the list and group any 3 characteristics together.  Now think about it--  No matter what combination of 3 you choose, you can begin to understand how a child displaying a culmination of these behaviors can come across as "bad", when the context of gifted is not present.  For the sake of visualization, let's say a baby, 6 months in age, (1.) Needs less sleep than it's peers. (2.) Doesn't sit alone well/needs to be repositioned very frequently (every 10 minutes or so) (3.) Often cries more than their peers.  In this example, if said needs are not met, endless crying ensues because that is how babies communicate.  Can you imagine the wear on mom and dad!? 6 months in and still not getting ANY good sleep!  Not only are they not getting sleep they have to engage this baby, that doesn't sit well alone and needs to be repositioned every 10 minutes during the hours the baby is awake.  Now add on top of that the extra crying, above and beyond others of that age.  Just thinking about it sounds rough.  In the next example, we have a 12 month old that is (1.) Extra sensitive to smells (2.) Cries as an expression of dislike to any smell that's not worthy, and (3.) More active than most.  Again, if needs are not met, endless crying ensues.  For the purposes of playing out this scenario, let's say grandma comes over and baby doesn't like her smell, baby is likely to cry EVERY time, leaving grandma to do one of two things; start naming all the things she feels is wrong with baby or blame baby's crying on you and how you are caring for the baby.  In which case, neither is a win... 

Furthermore, anyone with a baby, unaware that these could be signs of giftedness could be overwhelmed and rightfully so.  Often times we are led to seek advice from other parents such as, grandparents, mommy friends, siblings and so forth, all of whom may also be unaware of gifted characteristics.  As a result you may give people the wrong impression about your child.  A lot of responses to the characteristics above are negative and/or inappropriate for addressing a gifted baby's true needs.  Parents often hear comments like "oh it sounds like the baby is really colicky", or "they're so spoiled", "you must hold them too much", or "why are they so serious all the time", or "maybe they're teething or have bad gas."  Then there are those that instantly think everything is autism or some sort of disorder.  And this is the start of how gifted babies and kids get a "bad" rep.

Good thing is, nowadays the term "bad" can also mean "good", for there is absolutely nothing "bad" about having a gifted little one!  Sure, it is demanding!  Especially, if they are expressing signs early on as a newborn or infant.  Trust me, I know.  The biggest difference is knowing vs. not knowing, which is why I felt the unction to write this article.  Some of the most important things we can do when caring for and raising a gifted little, is to gain an understanding, pay close attention to their developmental milestones (write them down), and find different support outlets where you can share your experiences and gain from other parents sharing theirs.  

In summation, if you or someone you know has a newborn or infant that is displaying some of the characteristics listed above, consider downloading and reviewing the various developmental phases and milestones, and familiarize yourself with them.  Also, take notes about your little one's progress.  A list briefly describing each accomplishment accompanied by their age (in months) will do.  It is also important to have an understanding of the many additional signs and characteristics of giftedness that were not listed here.  For more information on giftedness in infants and toddlers please see some of our previous articles. 

In Part I, we talked about signs of giftedness in children under 2 years old.  In this article we will focus on signs of giftedness that can be seen during infancy (under 9 months of age).  In some cases, as early as day one.  Yes!  Day one.  Remember in Part 1, we mentioned that we polled 89 moms of gifted children.  Well, of the 89 moms, 35% of them (32 moms) reported they knew, or had an idea their child was gifted prior to 9 months old.  Sounds a little outrageous right?  Not so much.  The thing is, many people tend to overlook the physical developmental signs, such as heightened senses, or advanced motor skills, which can also be inklings to giftedness in babies.  Research states that babies that reach developmental milestones much earlier than their peers may be found to be gifted. 

The first possible sign of giftedness, which can be seen as early as day one, is a newborns ability to lift and turn their head.  That is correct.  If a baby can lift and turn their head from your chest as a newborn, early on, you may want to watch for additional signs of giftedness to come.  Don’t believe me?  Well, I have two, and both of them lifted and turned their heads with control within 48 hours of being here.  My daughter actually lifted her head and followed the nurse, as if she could see her.  Only no one told me these were signs of giftedness.  Thus, we didn’t put two and two together until much later.  For our oldest it was when he began speaking in short sentences by 9 months and reading by 12 months…And I’m not talking about the “he memorized his favorite book” type of reading either.  He was phonetically reading.  I remember, once we were in the car and as we drove he was randomly reading signs he could see out of the window.  I kid you not, it blew my mind!  Of course, he still sounded babyish in his speech, so like many other parents I would typically just “play” along when he would talk, but for whatever reason I decided to try and figure out what he was saying.  Sure enough, we stopped at a light and he said what sounded like “check cash” I looked and there it was, clear as day, a sign to the currency exchange that said check cashing.  If it wasn’t for that moment, of taking the time to pay attention, his ability to read could have gone undetected for months.

Other physical signs of giftedness in babies include; unusual alertness, high observation and ability to make associations, high level of engagement with their surroundings, and their race to independence much earlier than their peers. For instance, not only will the baby lift and turn their head, but would do so with purpose, i.e. eliminating breathing obstruction (boob, clothes, or burp cloth in their face), following movement, or following sound.  Newborns or infants may also be highly observant and pay attention to processes and routine and begin showing signs of understanding.  Some examples of their observation would be, cooperating during diaper changes or getting dressed early on, or looking at the refrigerator when you ask if they want milk or juice.  A baby’s ability to make associations could include small things like holding the remote up or positioning it towards the tv and pressing the buttons, smiling on que when they see you with a camera, or being able to identify objects like shoes and socks early on.  With regards to being highly engaged, gifted babies tend to look people in the eye, as if they are studying them or understand them, especially if the person is talking.  They are also likely to respond to their name or the mention of their name much sooner than their peers.  Lastly, the race to independence.  Additional signs of giftedness include reaching the following milestones much earlier than outlined on developmental charts; sitting up unassisted, flipping from back to tummy and vice versa, crawling/not crawling and transitioning straight to walking, walking, and potty trained. 

​In addition to signs of giftedness, there are also characteristics that some gifted babies share. 
These characteristics include but are not limited to:

• Usually active (though not hyperactive)
• Needs less sleep than most other babies
• Needs almost constant stimulation and interaction when awake
• May begin to mimic sounds earlier than other babies (letter sounds, animal sounds, words, etc.)
• May be extra sensitive to smells, textures, sounds, and/or taste
• May be fussy when not being stimulated
• Can concentrate on one task for long periods of time, such as staying attentive while you read an entire book

The SubUrban Mom
"A Mother's Perspective"

There are many different characteristics of gifted babies and children. Many lists verbalize these characteristics differently, but the majority of lists display clear overlap. Often times, parents look for overt signs of giftedness, but there are many not so obvious signs. For the purposes of this article (Part I, Mother of a Genius) we will focus on characteristics of children 2 and under. Yes. You can begin seeing signs of giftedness at such a young age. In fact, in a poll taken by 89 moms 42% reported they knew, or had an idea their child(ren) were gifted between 1-2 years of age, while 14% stated they saw signs between 6 months and a year.
     In an effort to keep it short here are some the more popular telltales that your toddler may be gifted. Keep in mind, many gifted children can display multiple gifted characteristics, while others may just be extreme in one or two ways.

• Rapid learner; puts thoughts together quickly
• Excellent memory
• Large vocabulary and can formulate sentences early on
• Problem solver such as numbers and puzzles
• Often self-taught reading and writing skills
• Deep, intense feelings and reactions
• Longer attention span and intense concentration
• Learn basic skills quickly and with little practice
• Asks probing questions
• Wide range of interests (or extreme focus in one area)
• Puts idea or things together that are not typical
• Keen and/or unusual sense of humor
• Desire to organize people/things through games or complex schemas
• Ability to draw realistic pictures
• Like to take things apart and/or try to figure out how things work.
• High level of logic. For example, unstacking a pile of books from the top to get to the book at the bottom
• Unknowingly memorizes facts from obscure sources such as TV programs, radio ads, or books

The SubUrban Mom
www.fromubaby-videos.com
www.fromuuniversity.com

Additional Sources: 
http://www.newkidscenter.com/How-To-Tell-If-Your-Baby-Is-Gi…
A parent's guide to gifted children.Tuscon, AZ: Great Potential Press, www.greatpotentialpress.com.
https://www.babycenter.com/0_how-to-tell-if-your-preschoole…

Don’t wait to start teaching your little one(s)!
1.  By 3 months babies can…

• See all colors in our visual spectrum
• Focus on moving objects
• Are stimulated by social interaction
• Can see objects within a foot or so fairly clearly
• Can differentiate tastes

​1. Instead of wearing prenatal headphones with only classical music playing, switch it up. Record yourself, dad and/or siblings reciting the days of the week, months of the year, counting, alphabet, and names- And play as often as possible after the 4th month of pregnancy.

2. Record and play personalized prenatal learning in a second language, in addition to native language.

3. Eat foods that are good for brain development and find a prenatal vitamin that works for you. Studies show that eating fish (Omega 3) is great for baby brain development during the 2nd trimester.  However, you must be cautious of how much fish you eat, because of the mercury fish contains.  Omega 3 good, too much mercury bad.  Different fish have different levels of mercury.  Salmon, catfish, pollack, whitefish, tilapia, and shrimp are said to have lower levels of mercury.  Also, though some prenatal vitamins may not agree with you, try, try again.  It is crucial for babies to get the essentials they need from you, and there is likely a brand that will work for you.

4. Talk, talk, talk! Talk to your unborn, every chance you get. Talk about the weather, their family, who they are going to see when they get here, names of close family members, what their room looks like, your expectations/hopes/dreams for them, etc.

5. Start reiterating everything you've been saying and playing immediately! Learning starts at birth, well technically before...You don't necessarily have to do flash card drills, and workbooks on day one, but know that every moment is a moment to teach/learn. For instance, you can count during diaper changes, sing the ABC song during feedings, say days of the week and months of the year at bath time, recite the Lord's prayer at night, name objects and shapes throughout their room/house, show them the fruits and veggies your unpacking from the store, and so on.

The SubUrban Mom
A Mother's Perspective