A child may embody character traits displaying symptoms of autism however, it is important that he be assessed by a registered professional to avoid any forms of mislabeling. Many characteristics of autism overlap with the traits displayed by exceptionally gifted children such as those with Aspergers’ Syndrome. It is essential that parents and teachers are able to identify the similarities and differences present among children with different learning disabilities. In most cases the gifts and talents of intelligent children with autism most often are left unrecognized. In other cases, people are more aware of the achievements exceptional children exhibit and less of their hidden disability. Exceptionally intelligent children with autism remain a puzzle to parents and professionals in the medical and behavioral arena due to the inconsistencies in their behavior and performances. The variety of symptoms and the difficulty in accurately identifying the giftedness and disability makes it quite challenging. According to Baum and Reis (2004), exceptional children fall in any of these three categories: 1) Children whose giftedness masks the disability, 2) Children whose disability masks the giftedness and 3) Children in whom the giftedness and the disability mask one another. Among these three categories, children under the second and the third classifications are rather unfortunate. Their weaknesses are more distinct and have obscured their potentials while their giftedness may have also been misidentified. Consequently, these children are not given the support and assistance they need to realize their full potentials. However, if given the full support to develop their gifts and talents and overcome their weaknesses, these children can equally perform and usually perform better than the average normal children. This can demand a great deal of attention and effort from parents and educators.
Autism and Defining Intelligent Children
Autism is a developmental disability that affects social, communication and behavioral impairment (Center for Disease Control Prevention, 2016). The three main areas of difficulty common among autistic people are: 1) Difficulty with social communication, 2) Difficulty with social interaction and 3) Difficulty with social imagination. These impairments that are familiarly demonstrated among autistics indicate their anti-social behaviors. In contrast, children with Asperger’s Syndrome (AS), a mild type of autism characterized by impairment in social interaction have little problems with language and cognitive developments. Asperger’s Syndrome is now better known as High-Functioning Autism. Children in this category have intelligences that are average to above average. They hardly show any learning difficulties and in fact have considerable amounts of creativity and imagination in art and language (National Association for Gifted Children, 2012). It is then essential to understand the meaning of ‘giftedness’ as these children are labeled such. The challenges in these children are their potentials for academic excellence while dealing with their asynchronous development. Gifted is defined as a person who has increasingly above average intelligences or cognitive abilities beyond the normal range.
A child endowed with high intelligences can also have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In 2014, an American study revealed that almost half of the children with autism have average to above average intelligence with IQ scores of above 85. Only less than one third of the children studies were found to have disabilities in intelligence while 23% had IQ scores ranging from 71 to 85. New developments in diagnosis and intervention for children with mild autism such as those with Asperger’s Syndrome have contributed to the success in the growth and development of these children. Many clinical investigations and classroom incidences have revealed the occurrence of this reality (Neilhart, 2000).
There must be some defining lines that differentiate normally gifted children from gifted children with AS. One defining characteristic is seen in their speech patterns. Like normal intelligent children, gifted AS children’s speech seemingly sounds fluent displaying a sense of original and analytical thinking. And though both types of children are highly verbal and have extensive vocabularies, the difference in AS children is the continuity of their oral speech and written works. There is no distinction between knowledge and personal accounts but mix them altogether continuously. Gifted AS children have excellent reading skills with low comprehension and complex analysis. The second defining characteristic of gifted As children is their response to routine and structure. They have difficulty coping with and following schedules and activities done at home or in school such as activities. Normal intelligent children may show displeasure and lack of interest in routine work, however gifted children with AS usually show unwillingness to cooperate and harshly complain about them. However, gifted children demonstrate excellent memory and participation on their topics of interests (Moore, 2002).
The third difference is how children with AS regard their behavior. They are not aware if they are behaving out of the ordinary or are inconsiderate of others. It is because they lack knowledge of proper social conduct and social rules. Behaviorists owe such obliviousness to their disorder which makes them difficult to adjust to social circumstances and human interaction. They are not able to see and understand from different perspectives. Similarly, their ability to understand and respond to jokes or humor is lacking. The fourth defining characteristics of intelligent children with AS and normal intelligent children are their difficulty in remaining attentive. They have short attention span and are easily distracted. But unlike normal intelligent children, AS children are distracted from forces happening within themselves. This greatly affects their performances especially in school. Apparently, the sixth distinction which is a potential feature among gifted children with AS their lack of affective expression. They are not sensitive to emotional situations and lack awareness of it. Their emotional responses are restricted and often inappropriately demonstrated (Lovecky, 2004).
Exceptionally Intelligent Children and their Special Needs
Many parents fail to detect the presence of autism in their children. Many still mistake their exceptional development and intelligence to a normal condition. The signs of autism may not be clearly visible but subjecting these children to early diagnosis and intervention will help them reinforce their deficiencies such as verbal communication and social skills. It is essential that the right interventions are administered at the right time. It will also avoid any false diagnosis of autism.
Parents and teachers of children with autism or with Asperger’s need to help these children develop their gifts and talents to function and achieve like normal individuals. Several children with Asperger’s syndrome come to develop their own strategies of coping with situations and can most likely grow to lead relatively independent lives while others can be more successful at some aspects in their lives but need support in other areas too. These children are endowed with potentials that are waiting to be bolstered and make them truly brilliant in their own field of skills. Despite their weaknesses in social and interpersonal skills, teachers and parents need to be well-informed and collaborate with each other to create social and learning environments that support their abilities. Instructional and behavioral strategies dedicated to the development of these children will help reinforce their abilities to the fullest.
References
Baum, S.M. & Reis, S.M. (2004). Twice Exceptional and Special Populations of Gifted Students. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016). Autism Spectrum Disorder. U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/facts.html
Gnaulati, E. (2013). Back to Normal: Why Ordinary Childhood Behavior is Mistaken for ADHD, Bipolar Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder. US: Beacon Press.
Lovecky, D.V. (2004). Different Minds: Gifted Children with Ad/Hd, Asperger Syndrome and Other Learning Deficits. UK: Jessica Kingsley Publishers Ltd.
Moore, S. T. (2002). Asperger Syndrome and the Elementary School Experience. Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism-Asperger Publishing Co.
National Association for Gifted Children, (2010-2012). Autism and Giftedness. Retrieved from www.potentialplusuk.org/file_upload/factsheets/671P64%20Autism%20and%20Giftedness.pdf
Neilhart, M. (2000 Fall). Gifted Children with Asperger’s Syndrome. Gifted Child Quarterly, (44)4, 222-230.
