Misdiagnosing Gifted/2e Children

I first saw this video when it was shared in a gifted/2e online group many years ago. It’s appearance is dated, but it has good basic information for parents who are trying to figure out if they have a gifted/2e child. It is especially helpful for pointing out the pitfalls of gifted/2e children being medicated for something that isn’t truly their problem rather than getting a proper diagnosis.

My comments continue after the video.

I wrote about our experience with gifted/2e testing in:

• Should I Have My Gifted Child Tested?
• No One Understands Your Child Like You – The Downside of Gifted Child Testing

I learned through my experience that you do need to trust your gut. As the professional says in the video, parents are the most accurate at diagnosing if their child is gifted/2e.

If you have a child you believe is gifted/2e and is being educated in a traditional classroom, it is imperative that you understand your child, what she needs, and whether or not the classroom will actually work for her. The classroom is a terrible fit for many gifted/2e children as I explained in detail in:

• Gifted Children In The Classroom From A Teacher’s Perspective

As the professionals explain in the video:

The view of what is normal and what is acceptable, especially in the classroom, seems to be shrinking. And as a result of that, many many children are being labeled with things such as attention deficit disorder.

An even more critical issue that has developed since this video was released is the gender insanity we are now witnessing. Although we got the information we needed when we had gifted/2e testing done, I don’t know if I would take my child for the same testing now.

I would assume that this area of practice has been significantly infiltrated by the gender ideology zealots. I don’t know if I would let them near my child. So if you are in this particular situation regarding deciding whether to test or not, I strongly encourage you to do your due diligence before you let any professional near your child. I don’t think I would use anyone who isn’t a professing Christian and even then I would ask a lot of detailed questions before I would agree to trust my child to anyone else – even if he or she claims to be a Christian. There are too many sick people who are eager to plant all kinds of ideas into the minds of children and youth today, even in the church.

In the end, being confident that you understand your child and her needs is incredibly valuable. It is worth the effort to make sure you get the right answers and avoid the quick answer of throwing medication at a problem that doesn’t require medication. Many gifted/2e children will thrive simply with understanding and involved parents who advocate for their needs each step of the way as they grow up.