It is hard to distinguish between a gifted and learning disabled child since their traits are highly similar. However, with adequate keenness in the observation of their education capabilities and personality traits, one can diagnose and differentiate from the two. Below are the distinguishing characteristics of the two.
Column B of the provided document outlines the traits of a gifted child. Many gifted children learn to read early. They have a good understanding of the language they read as compared to the average child. Gifted children learn to read before they are enrolled in any school program. They internalize basic skills better, speedily and with minimal effort. They are very inquisitive on how or why things happen the way they do. Gifted children have an unusual perspective on life and experiences since they see the world differently (Neihart, 2002). They understand their surroundings early on in life. They can connect the dots and recognize patterns and sequences of events as they unfold. Gifted children have a great sense of humor as they can comprehend the behavioral traits in other people.
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Gifted children can remember most of the information they obtain from the surrounding sources for a very long time. They have a keen sense of observation and can take note of body language, voice modulations and other details that most other people will usually miss (Neihart, 2002). In some cases, they may or may not speak early, but once they begin to talk, they’re able to engage in discourse on complex subjects with other people. This particular trait draws them towards older children or adults because they feel this is where they’ll find an intellectual match.
Column A of the provided document outlines the traits of a child with learning disability. They usually have problems with reading. This is characterized by difficulties in speaking fluently, spelling and deciphering the meaning of words. These difficulties hurt their performance in the fields of study such as vocabulary, grammar, punctuation, and spelling. The inability of Children with learning disability to socialize often leads to dissociation, low self - esteem and reduced interactions with teachers and peers (Bender, 2004). They find it difficult to make friends. This is as a result of their inability to understand and recognize other people’s feelings, especially the ones expressed through nonverbal emotive gestures. Children with learning disabilities have difficulty attending to tasks and are usually very restless.
Short term memory problems are common among children with learning disability. They quickly forget the things they have been taught in class or even minute details such as lists or phone numbers shortly after they are memorized (Bender, 2004). They portray behavioral and emotional control problems. They are easily irritable and very vulnerable to mental health conditions such as depression.
Impact of These Characteristics on the Diagnosis of Learning Disability and Giftedness
These striking similarities in characteristics have a huge influence on the diagnosis of learning disability and giftedness. In both, they tend to portray unique ways of socializing which from an ignorant point of view might be misdiagnosed and assumed to be signs of pathology. Sometimes gifted children are dually diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder). This is mostly because their characteristics of intensity, sensitivity, impatience and much more can easily be mistaken for ADHD (Hartnett et al. 2004). Failure to distinguish between these features might lead to confusion in parents, teachers and even professionals, which might cause interpersonal problems. Similarities in the way the gifted and the learning disabled children socialize can easily lead to a misdiagnosis of the actual ailment. They both prefer seclusion or rather peers who are not within their age range.
Gifted children and those with learning disabilities require special attention. Physicians and other health experts should be extra cautious and vigilant when diagnosing children with the characteristics delineated in the sections above. Misdiagnosis and the administration of incorrect interventions and medication endanger the life of the child.
References
Bender, W. N. (2004). Learning disabilities: Characteristics, identification, and teaching strategies. Allyn & Bacon.
Hartnett, D. N., Nelson, J. M., & Rinn, A. N. (2004). Gifted or ADHD? The possibilities of misdiagnosis. Roeper Review, 26(2), 73-76.
Neihart, M. (2002). Risk and resilience in gifted children: A conceptual framework. The social and emotional development of gifted children: What do we know? , 113-122.
