Twice Exceptional: Autism and Gifted Children
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On a neurological level, giftedness and autism share many similarities, so it’s no surprise that many gifted children are also found to be on the autism spectrum.
Signs of Autism
- difficulty making eye contact
- difficulty expressing emotions
- repetitive behaviors such as lining up toys and repeating words
- rigidity; needing to stick to routine
- repetitive movements such as arm flapping, body rocking, or spinning
- delayed verbal skills
- no back and forth gestures by 12 months
Signs of Giftedness
- insatiable curiosity
- high information processing
- fast learner
- keen sense of humor
- ability to see novel connections between ideas
Overlapping Signs of Autism and Giftedness
Hyper-focused interests
Difficulty relating to same age peers
Idealism
sensory sensitivities
vivid imagination
logical thinking
sense of justice
pedantic speech
early language development
Autism –vs- Giftedness: A Neurobiological Perspective
Each one of my students holds a special place in my heart – ten years, thousands of students and parents – it’s been a long …