Exceptionally and Profoundly Gifted Children

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Some children are very significantly advanced in their cognitive abilities, setting them even more apart from other children their age. The characteristics and difficulties associated with high learning potential children are even more extreme in children who are exceptionally or profoundly gifted.

Exceptionally gifted children are those with cognitive abilities in the top 0.1% of the population (or 1 in 1000) and profoundly gifted children are those with cognitive abilities in the top 0.03% of the population (or 1 in 3333).

Exceptionally and profoundly gifted children have unusually early development in the areas of speech, movement and reading. This early development means that these exceptionally advanced children acquire and process information very quickly, affecting their cognitive and social development. Many suffer from social isolation due to the lack of a suitable peer group with whom to relate and feel an overwhelming pressure to conform.

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Exceptionally Gifted Advice Sheet

Many exceptionally and profoundly gifted children seriously underachieve in education and often lose motivation to excel at some time in primary school.

For more information about the education of exceptionally and profoundly gifted children, please see our advice sheet PA319 Education and Exceptionally Able Children.

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