Video: Parent to Parent: Recognizing gifted children

Larger screen

SEATTLE - If children are testing in the top 2 to 3 percent of the population in intelligence then they are considered gifted and they have special needs.

Ignoring those needs is a big mistake.

"Maybe they're used to gliding along with little effort and they really stop trying, they get lazy," said Linda Morgan, editor of ParentMap. "And the one thing we didn't want is for kids to tune out and turn off to learning."

Parents can do several things to help their gifted child:

Take them on field trips. Plan outings to libraries or museums or science centers to keep them stimulated and interested in learning.

Be the child's advocate at school by making sure they're really getting the attention they need.

Find a special school or after-school program that best caters to the child.

Above all - remember the child's emotionally still a child. Let them be a kid.

Parents can start by getting their kids tested at school or by a psychologist. If they are gifted, the next step is to find out which programs are available for gifted kids in their district.