Gifted children are children whose abilities, talents and potentials are so outstanding that they set the child apart from his or her peers. Giftedness is generally considered to mean an IQ of 130 or above, along with high performance in any one of five areas: general intellectual ability, specific academic excellence (at math, for example), creative thinking (looking at questions and answers in a unique way), leadership ability, or artistic (including musical) ability.

Gifted children are sometimes first identified when they excel in school, but most parents of gifted children suspect giftedness in their child before the child enters school. How can you tell if your child is gifted? What are the early signs? Consider the possibility of giftedness in your child if her or she exhibits the following traits: