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Expert Q&A:
How can I help the development of my gifted 15-month-old?

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Suzanne Dixon
Answered by Suzanne Dixon M.D., M.P.H.
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"There is nothing so amazing as the development of a child," says Suzanne Dixon, M.D., a behavioral and developmental pediatrician who was one of the founding members of the Pampers Parenting Network. "Every day is a new adventure when you have a child around you. I never get tired of learning from the children who have been a part of my life, professionally and personally."Suzanne Dixon, M.D., M.P.H., was born and raised in Minnesota and graduated from the University of Minnesota, School of Medicine. She did her pediatric training at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and then completed a fellowship in Child Development at Boston's Children's Hospital. Dr. Dixon joined the faculty at the University of California, San Diego, and did patient care, teaching, and research for 20 years. She ran a large newborn service, performed research in early child development, and was involved in many community outreach activities in maternal child health. Throughout her entire professional life she has maintained an interest in cross-cultural activities, living and working in many parts of the world, including Mexico, India, Kenya, Indonesia, and several countries from the former U.S.S.R. Dr. Dixon is the author of numerous research articles, review articles, and textbook chapters in pediatrics, child and family development, and public health. Her textbook, written with Dr. Martin Stein, Encounters With Children: Pediatric Behavior and Development, has become a classic in child health education and is in its fourth edition. She is Editor in Chief of the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, an international journal of high standing in the professional world. She also has served as an associate editor for Infant Mental Health and currently reviews for several major pediatric journals. Dr. Dixon is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and served in national positions in that organization. She is a member of the Society for Pediatric Research, the Society for Research in Child Development, the American Public Health Association, and the Executive Council of the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. She serves as consultant to several national and international organizations and has received an award from Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies.Dr. Dixon continues to lecture and consult worldwide on aspects of maternal, child, and family health. She practices behavioral and developmental pediatrics in Montana and works with local advocacy groups on education and women''s health. Dr. Dixon has been married for over 30 years and has three sons. She and her husband travel frequently, are outdoor enthusiasts, and enjoy being amateur anthropologists.
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Question


I am interested in receiving information regarding indicators for gifted children. My son is 15 1/2 months old and has a vocabulary of 140 words, and he adds more words every day. He is zipping through his motor milestones as well. He can unlock the "childproof" cabinet locks, too. I am curious to find out whether these are typical behaviors for a baby his age, and I would like suggestions on how to further facilitate his development.

Answer


It does sound as if your boy is ahead of many youngsters his age. His vocabulary is bigger than 95 percent of his peers. You don't have to do much at all for him other than keeping him healthy and happy and giving him safe places to explore. He's fueling his own development, so you just need to gently encourage and clear the way. The biggest danger is that you will push him too hard cognitively and thus jeopardize his learning about himself and about other people.Provide experiences that keep him interested and identify playmates that are on his same level. Organize a play group and help him interact with the other kids. Introduce regular reading to his life and take him to the library. Don't push him too hard -- it will just create stress -- and don't pay for one of those hard-driving stimulation programs. Follow his lead. Schools test for inclusion in gifted programs usually around second grade. Plan on finding a good preschool, perhaps one with mixed age groupings so he is with some older kids and some his own age. When he is 4, discuss school entry thoroughly with his health care provider. This will be a tricky decision with lots of factors to consider. Even if he is cognitively ready for a structured school experience, other factors will come into play at that time and all the way through high school.
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