A gifted child (HPI) benefits from an intellectual head start, since their IQ is above 130. But they remain a child all the same, seeking recognition and potentially in need of support. Indeed, they often struggle to fit in at school and develop a real lack of self-confidence. Here are 3 essential tips to better support them every day.
Tip 1: Manage a gifted child’s heightened sensory perception
Very common in gifted children, heightened sensory perception refers to amplified and intensified sensory experiences, a source of discomfort and stress. Aware of their “difference,” this is by no means a whim, but a feeling so intense that it needs to be properly addressed. The child needs to feel taken seriously, both by their parents and by teaching staff: their questions should never be underestimated, and they should be given concrete answers, otherwise this risks reinforcing their worries and feeding their anxiety.
Faced with this overload of emotion, the support of an online psychotherapist can prove very valuable: this professional will know how to adapt their approach to the child’s personality and provide great support, helping to turn this heightened sensitivity into a strength.
Tip 2: Reassure the child with firmness and kindness
Like any child, a gifted child needs to feel surrounded by reassuring people. And a reassured parent is a reassuring parent. Once the diagnosis has been made, parents should not hesitate to ask for help: while giftedness is not an illness, it isn’t always well understood by family members or the school. Raising a child is never easy, but raising a gifted child is as exciting as it is exhausting.
Well supported themselves, parents can then reassure their child, listen more closely to their worries and fears, and help them move forward with firmness and kindness. Here, it’s all a matter of balance: for example, valuing their efforts when they follow the rules rather than punishing them, though punishment remains unavoidable when rules are not respected.
Tip 3: Keep communicating with them at all times
A gifted child may retreat into OCD-like behaviours (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder), deepening their isolation and gradually walling themselves off in silence. Even if they are fully aware of how absurd this behaviour is, they won’t be able to shake it off without help. Here, the key is to accept these compulsions, avoid putting pressure on them, and celebrate their progress in letting go of them.
One of the keys with a gifted child remains communication. Constantly seeking to be heard and paid attention to, it’s essential to consistently start a critical, but above all constructive, dialogue. Not to mention that a gifted child will always try to solve their problems on their own, and will be slow to open up about their worries, whether social or personal.
Finally, it’s important never to forget that while your child may have real intellectual abilities, their emotional level matches their actual age. As a result, some of their comments may seem immature to you, while others may impress you…
In any case, if you feel lost, don’t hesitate to contact the online psychologists on the Ora-Visio platform: sometimes, the key to helping your gifted child is to get help for yourself first…
