|  | Conditions Treatments | ADHD

Gifted Children & ADHD

The definition of a gifted child varies somewhat throughout academia. Borntoexplore.org notes that most sources agree that those with an IQ of 130 or above are most always considered to be gifted. Being gifted, however, may be overlooked in lieu of other diagnoses, such as ADHD. Being gifted can also exist alongside these disorders, making proper diagnoses difficult.

  1. Signs of Being Gifted

    • A gifted child can occasionally be overlooked by parents and other adults because they may not be familiar with the term or the concept. Many gifted children, according to borntoexplore.org, exhibit moodiness, frustration, high energy and forgetfulness. Many gifted children display a boredom with classroom work and may act out in order to alleviate this boredom. They can be overly excitable and have a tendency to daydream or be inattentive to subjects that aren't of interest. Some gifted children are also picky eaters and may be overly sensitive, both to physical sensations and emotions.

    Signs of ADHD

    • Athealth.com reports that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, is the most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorder in children. School.familyeducation.com notes that ADHD is thought to be a neurological condition. Those with ADHD have a limited ability to control impulses. The National Association for Gifted Children lists signs of ADHD, at nagc.org, as being fidgety, impulsive and having trouble waiting for a turn. Athealth.com notes that children with ADHD may be around two to three years behind their peers in terms of social and emotional development.

    Differences

    • While the two conditions share some traits, there are differences. Whereas a gifted child may be swayed into paying attention when presented with an area of high interest or challenging subject matter, a child with ADHD will usually not have any change in the ability to focus just because of subject or challenge-level change. The National Association for Gifted Children states that gifted children have the ability to multitask while still paying attention to several things at once. A child with ADHD, however, often misses out on information due to the inability to focus.

    Misdiagnoses and Dual Diagnoses

    • Because of the similarities between ADHD and being gifted, children who are gifted are often misdiagnosed as having ADHD. An accurate diagnosis is important to know whether a child should be treated for ADHD or not. Borntoexplore.org mentions that school systems may have resources available for a proper assessment of the child. If not, qualified psychologists should be able to evaluate a child with testing, including the Torrence Test for Creativity. While misdiagnoses exist, some children display behaviors for both ADHD and giftedness. Dual diagnoses can be given after a proper assessment from trained psychologists.

    Treatment

    • ADHD can be treated with behavioral therapy, medication or both. Many parents may place their children on prescribed medication, such as Ritalin or Adderall, in order to control ADHD symptoms. While medications may work for gifted children, borntoexplore.org suggests that gifted children require an environmental change rather than medication. For gifted children, skipping a grade or being placed in more challenging classes, such as honors, advanced placement or special programs for the gifted helps challenge the gifted child more than regular coursework might.

ADHD - Related Articles