Am I likely to have gifted children?

Question

I was classified as "gifted" as a child, while my husband did not have that distinction. Although never diagnosed, he suspects that he had ADD as a child. Is is more probable that our children will be gifted or that they will have a learning disability, or is there not enough scientific evidence to back that either is more likely than the other?

Answer 1

ADD is more genetic than being gifted. There is a very good chance if your hubby was ADD then your kids have a chance of having it too.

Answer 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXCRLifli...

OK?

EDIT:

Given the hands down...maybe you oughta hold off on the humpin'.

What kind of world would the child be dealing with?

Answer 3

Its all genetics. Im no genius when it comes to these things, but i guess it really all depends on which trait is more dominant. If you were to have more information on each of these things you could do something like a Punnett Square to calculate the probability.

Answer 4

I recommend you read "What Going on in There" by Lise Eliot and "Raising Your Spirited Child"  by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka .  I would be careful with labels they give children now days.  If you already believe your child will be one or the other - you need to read up on ADD and gifted children. You'll be surprised what ISN'T ADD and what isn't gifted.  

Plus will you allow your child to be who he or she is without labels?  Let your child be who they are and love them no matter what they become.

Answer 5

Um, why do you think it's either/or? It's perfectly possible for a gifted child to have ADD.

And remember that, despite the term, "gifted" is not something that you are or aren't. It's a continuous spectrum of abilities, everyone falls somewhere on the line.

Also, to be blunt, are you actually "gifted" as in you are particularly skilled at something compared to other adults? Or did you just do well on a few tests as a kid? Bright parents do tend to have bright kids...but how many geniuses have had genius kids? Almost none.

Answer 6

If your hubby did have add its most likely your child would have it to if its in the gene's i was told if i had anymore children most likely a chance that child also having Autism as my twin son does ..i always put down things as ADD and ASD is being genetic

Answer 7

Science has somewhat proven that there is a genetic correlation between intelligence and also ADD (although, I believe ADD to be severely over diagnosed. When I was growing up, we called it, "Pay attention!")

So, there is a likelihood that your child could be gifted AND have ADD. The 2 are not mutually exclusive. My siblings and I are all also "gifted," but I have dyslexia. It stalled my learning a bit when I was very young and learning how to read and write, but it had no affect on my ability to learn. With a few special classes, I got a handle on it, and caught up with ease.

Answer 8

ADD is not actually a learning disability, it's a behavior disorder.  Also, many people with ADD/ADHD are highly gifted.  So, it's a possibility that your child could be both.

My husband and I have noticed that our son has inherited some of our talents.  He was reading and doing math before the age of three, and it looks as if he's inherited some of our talent in those areas.  Like us, he has strong musical talent but no special talent when it comes to visual art.  While my my husband and I were very athletic children, our son is all over the place when it comes to motor skills - very coordinated in some areas, average at best in others.  However, he's the epitome of social butterfly, has a knack for charming people, and loves to entertain those around him.  My husband and I, on the other hand, were rather quiet children.  In short, our son is an individual.  We love him for who he is, and don't have any desire to turn him into our little carbon copy or a whiz kid.

Don't worry about whether your child will be gifted or not.  Maybe he will be, and maybe he won't.  Maybe he'll be a star athlete, or maybe he'll be a total klutz.  Perhaps he'll be a math genius, although he might be diagnosed with dyscalculia.  I guarantee that no matter what he turns out to be, it will make you love him neither more nor less.  We love our children unconditionally, no matter what they grow up to be.

Answer 9

I was "gifted" and my husband was neither"gifted or ADD" and our eldest son is autistic( our other 2 children are neither this nor that)...and he got it from my side of the family!  I have an older brother who is also autistic.

Answer 10

Neither "gifted" nor "ADD" are concrete cognative traits a child can have. These are social constructed conditions society uses to categorize human experience. They are completely arbitrary, and as such cannot be directly linked to genetics. All genetics can account for really is potential, and can garuntee nothing more. If your child is born with Downs Syndrome or some other type brain or sensory impairment, that will surely lower his or her potential.

A lot of what those who label children as "gifted" or "diagnose" children (or even adults) with "ADD" are looking at is behavior. A child's behavior is influenced primarly by how he or she understands the world, and his or her understanding of the world is based primarily on parenting.

It should be dually noted that children are extremely complex, and a lot more goes into how they understand the world than just parenting and genetics.

Answer 11

I wouldnt waste my time trying to work this out.

Yr children are just fine the way they are, and you will love them as much for not being gifted as you will if they are, yeah?

Treat them all with love and equality and they will grow up just fine. It dont really matter if they become a doctor or a cleaner really. Just be proud of what they achieve within there capabilities.

Good luck