"The truly creative mind in any field is no more than this:
A human creature born abnormally, inhumanly sensitive.
To him…
A touch is a blow,
A sound is a noise,
A misfortune is a tragedy,
A joy is an ecstasy,
A friend is a lover,
A lover is a god,
And failure is death…"
-Pearl Buck

As parents of gifted children, we are all too familiar with the intense - even volatile -- reactions of our children. Experts have warned us that their minds can lead them into thoughts that are beyond their capacity to handle. So we comfort them, as their misfortunes become tragedies. We celebrate wildly with them, as their joys becomes ecstasies. We shudder with them when their chin brushes against their shirt collar. Well, maybe not.

Most of us have never heard that extreme physical sensitivity is "normal" in gifted children. We are baffled - and sometimes irritated - by our child's sensitivity to odors that no one else smells… or sounds that no one else hears. It's difficult to convince ourselves that, to our child, "a touch is a blow" and "a sound is a noise". We wonder if we're being manipulated: does he just want to wear his Pooh shirt again - or is the collar on the plaid shirt really bothering him? We're not sure that these seemingly ridiculous reactions are genuine characteristics of gifted children…until we talk to other parents.

Parents of gifted children did just that at the 2001 HomeSchool Association of California Annual Conference. In an open forum, "Homeschooling the Gifted Child", parents shared frustrations, questions, and joys. When the discussion leader raised the issue of extreme sensory reactions, a chorus of relieved voices arose from the audience. One mother shared that she has to warn guests not to wash with strong soap before they come to visit. A father described his son being unable to eat anything on a camping trip, since he could smell a skunk's odor "somewhere in the woods". Clearly, such reactions are a reality for many gifted children.

In a recent paper, James Webb, Ph.D. author of Guiding the Gifted Child, describes these intense reactions, in which the central nervous system has unusually strong reactions to small stimuli: "…One typically finds in gifted individuals an extreme sensitivity-- to emotions, sounds, touch, taste, etc. These children may burst into tears while watching a sad event on the evening news, keenly hear fluorescent lights, react strongly to smells, insist on having the tags removed from their shirts, must touch everything, or are overly reactive to touch in a tactile-defensive manner." These reactions, known as "overexcitabilities", remain misunderstood by many health care professionals. As a result, says Webb, gifted children are often misdiagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, learning disabilities, and even Bipolar Disorder.
Symposium on "Cutting Edge Minds--What it Means to be Exceptional", Paper presented at The American Psychological Association Annual Convention, Washington, D.C., August 7, 2000, James T. Webb, Ph.D.

Fortunately, some experts are helping gifted children understand that overexcitabilities are not signs of illness. Rather, they are actually key reasons that the gifted are capable of advanced creative, intellectual, and emotional development, according to Linda Silverman, Ph.D., Director of the Gifted Development Center) and author of Counseling the Gifted and Talented.

For many gifted children, simply knowing that they are normal will reduce stress and improve their lives. Others may benefit from counseling on how to best live with their sensitivities.

As parents of gifted children, we are reminded daily that our children have unique needs -- needs that extend beyond the latest chemistry set or a new book on castles. Although we fret that we may be unable to keep pace with their appetites for knowledge, our children don't really need us to understand quantum physics or the parts of a rainforest. Our children really need us to understand… our children.

Renita Smith is a home educator and writer specializing in educational/parenting issues -- with learning at home and gifted education as two areas of particular passion. As a mother of two and a former marketer of award-winning children's snack and arts-and-crafts products, Renita has extensive knowledge of children's lifestyles and behaviors. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and an MBA from Stanford University.

Talented & Gifted Support Group

Serving Gifted Children
by Beth Bruno
"Giftedness often surfaces as early as two or three years of age, long before the schools formally identify it. Even when children are identified as "gifted," most states do not fund special programs for them. That leaves the responsibility for the education of gifted children, for the most part, in the hands of teachers and parents." In this article, Beth Bruno, author of "Wild Tulips: Raising Parents in a Complex World," talks about the characteristics of gifted children and special programs that can be of help.

African-American Homeschooling
An interview with Judi Thomas
of HERITAGE Homeschoolers
hosted by Joe Spataro
Former middle school teacher Judi Thomas of Marietta, Ga., started HERITAGE Homeschoolers, a support group for minorities, after finding other organizations included few, if any, black families. She has been homeschooling her daughter Juliet (age 9) and her daughter Jacqueline (age 4). Judi in many ways is like any homeschooling mom but with some unique perspectives. As a former middle school teacher she has an intimate inside knowledge of how the "system" works. As an African-American homeschooler, she has developed a support group for this community of homeschoolers, adding to the diversity of the homeschooling movement. She was recently featured in a Time Magazine article, and I thought it might be fun to chat with Judi a bit and have her tell us more about herself, her family and her support group.

Asperger's Syndrome
by Sue Spataro, RN, BSN
What is it & does your child have it?
AS is defined as a form of autism. It was "discovered" by Hans Asperger's back in 1944. It is stressful for kids with AS to interact with other kids and adults. Though they may desperately want to have friends they find that it's very hard to "read" and understand what others mean. It's as if they are "emotionally blind". Find out how to recognize AS in your child, what experts in the field have to say about this condition, and what you can do help make you life better.

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