Psychologist Explains how to Sniff Out a Genius

Hello, friends.

Is your child an idiot? If your answer is "yes", then maybe you aren't that bright yourself (plus, you might be a jerk). Take a closer look at your kid. No really, look at him/her. He or she may be have a stellar intellect that surpasses even yours. James T. Webb is a clinical psychologist and author of Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnosis of Gifted Children and Adults.* And he believes that, these days, searching for a "gifted" child can be difficult. The New York Times did an interview with him. Do you want a sample of it? Well, I'm going to give it to you anyway:

Q. Why would gifted children be tagged as having psychological disorders?

A. Behaviors of many gifted children can resemble those of, say, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Most teachers, pediatricians and psychologists aren't trained to distinguish between the two. Most gifted kids are very intense, pursuing interests excessively. This often leads to power struggles, perfectionism, impatience, fierce emotions and trouble with peers. Many gifted kids have varied interests, skipping from one to the other - a trait often misinterpreted as A.D.H.D.

*Note: Link is in PDF format. You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to see it.