Genius IQ Levels in a Child

Children with genius-level IQs have their own special needs as they develop. They require challenges, enriching experiences and opportunities to flex their mental muscles. Without these opportunities, extremely gifted children may become restless or bored and fail to meet their true potentials. There are many resources available for parents raising gifted and extremely gifted children.

  1. IQ Test Basics

    • IQ tests provide information about children's aptitudes for learning and are administered individually by psychologists or psychometricians. Group IQ tests are also available. The tests do not require reading or writing skills; instead, they measure a child's general intellectual abilities. The tests are broken into many subtests, and the IQ score, or Full Scale IQ, is a composite of the scores on the subtests. The scores can also be divided into scores in specific areas, such as verbal skills and reasoning abilities.

    IQ Scores

    • An IQ score of 90 to 110 is considered average intelligence level. Children who score 110 to 119 are considered to have superior intelligence, and scores of 120 to 140 indicate very superior intelligence. Fewer than 1 in 400 people score at genius levels on IQ tests, or 140 or higher.

    Impact on School and Family

    • There are no common traits for all genius children, but many have a high degree of sensitivity and high energy levels. Genius-level children need to be taught by teachers who have experience nurturing highly gifted children and can provide adequate challenges for gifted children. In average-level classes, gifted children risk never getting the chance to exercise their abilities to the fullest extent. Young extremely gifted children may also struggle with intellectually understanding things, such as war or crime, that they are unable to handle emotionally. Fortunately, resources are available for parents raising extremely gifted children.

    Resources for Genius Children

    • Schools are not required to provide gifted education programs, but many do. If your child is extremely gifted, contact your local school district for information on education programs available through the district or elsewhere in your area. Organizations like the National Association for Gifted Children (www.nagc.org) can also direct you to resources in your area, and online support groups can help you avoid isolation and connect with other parents of gifted children. The important keys are to be an advocate for your child and to seek allies you trust, such as teachers, counselors or school administrators, to ensure your child gets the challenges and resources needed to thrive.

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