Friend has suggested IQ test for my 2 year old

[morefalafel]

My friend is a nursery manager, she has worked with kids for about 15 years and today she said to me that she thinks my little boy should have an IQ test. She said it will be better for me to know if he is gifted before we get to school so that I am able to give him the right help and so the teachers will be able to set work according to his level.

TBH I feel a bit silly asking but as I only have my son (and my nephew, who is on a similar level) to compare to, I really have no idea whether what is is doing is average or not. Both boys have always been ahead of the milestone charts, but aren't most kids!

Anyway, he is 2 years and 7 months and can write his name. He can also type out any word you like on a keyboard if you tell him the letters but he can type Daddy and Mummy and his own name without me spelling them out. He can also point to the letters if you have a poster of the alphabet. If he sees a shop sign/road sign/writing on his, he will spell out the letters in it and ask me what it says. If you show him a word with one letter missing and read the word, he can identify the missing letter (most of the time). He can identify any number up to about 30 on his own but will have a go at higher ones (saying thirty ten for forty etc). He knows how many of something I am holding. He asks me questions like 'What does sand do?' when we were at the beach or 'Where does the moon go?' at night. I asked him to spell cat in the magnetic letters at my mums house - he did (but hasn't repeated that one since without me spelling it out!). Hes bilingual, loves singing, shapes and colours (knows all of them) and can tell the time but only if its on the dot of 2pm/3pm etc he cant tell half past or quarter past etc. He does not stop running around and hates loud noises, but is a really sociable little fellow.

Is an IQ test necessary? What will it prove? Could I just continue helping him at home? Are there any online resources? Sorry for all the questions

[Periwinkle007]

I am not sure how it would help really. I would expect if a mum turned up with their reception child and said 'he has an IQ of x' then the teachers would probably instantly think 'oh heck, pushy parent'. now that isn't the case but IQ indicators at 2 or 3 are very erm whats the word, disputed by people.
PERSONALLY I think if a child is very advanced at 2-3ish then it is a good indicator that they are very bright but a lot of it depends on what they have been exposed to etc so some people would automatically dismiss an IQ from this age group as anything other than 'nice'.

he certainly sounds very bright to me, but he is also very sociable which is brilliant and will be much more useful when he starts school to be honest.

I would leave it and just let him enjoy learning about his environment and develop his own way. When he starts school see where he is then, see what the teachers think (they should identify very early on he is bright) and go from there.

In your mind you could assume he would score highly in the test and then make decisions re schools and nurseries as appropriate. you don't need the actual IQ to help you make those decisions.

keep doing whatever you are doing - he sounds like he is thriving on it.

[kelda]

He does sound bright, which is a good thing, and there is plenty you can do to encourage this - continue reading, games, music, logic type games.

The only reason my ds had an IQ test is because he has a mild disability. In his case, it was necessary to know if his intelligence was within a normal range (it is, thankfully). It was still a big deal to take the test, and I wasn't sure how I felt about it, but all the professionals said it was necessary.

Would you like to know your own IQ? I know that I wouldn't, unless it was high

There is so much more to intelligence and ability then an IQ test.

[GooseyLoosey]

My ds had an IQ test as part of an ed pysch report resulting from social integration issues. We gave a copy of the report to the school. Ds has a very high IQ and I can honestly say it made no difference to the school at all.

Just do what you are doing.

[morefalafel]

I would like to know his IQ out of curiosity but I think I would rather just leave it as knowing it would put all kinds of pressures on us. I agree, there is so much more to intelligence than just IQ. My friend also said we would have to pay to have it done now as hes so young.

Thanks for all your votes of confidence, but I don't really think I'm doing anything! I just play with him and enjoy him and we do activities I've found on blogs and things. My friend asked me how I taught him to spell and honestly, I've just sung to him a lot and shown him things. I haven't set out to "teach" him anything.

[RedHelenB]

Actually, it sounds as though he has an excellent memory which ISN'T necessarily the same as being very bright, but is very helpful to have! Be careful, if he learns by rote & doesn't "get" the concepts then he will come unstuck later on. Oh & those questions are asked by as lot of kids round that age - the intelligence bit will be in their understanding of the answer

[Jinsei]

He sounds great, but he's two. He doesn't need an IQ test. Genuinely. It will make no difference to anything. Please don't waste your money!

[valiumredhead]

My ds was the same but then slowed down and was average by the time he started school. I think at that age you really can't tell how they'll be at school age.

[breatheslowly]

IQ testing is not really particularly meaningful - different IQ tests will give different scores and once you get into the top 5% of the population or so, the results aren't really a significant differentiator. He sounds like he is well within the top 5% of the population for the things you have described.

It probably is worth letting the teachers know a bit about what he can do when he starts school (I guess he will be able to read quite fluently by then), but I don't think that teachers would have much interest in an IQ test result.

[morefalafel]

He is really coming on this week. I asked him to spell cat again and he managed it. DP asked him to spell dog and he actually did! I have bought some more jigsaw puzzles - harder ones this time.

I don't think we will go down the IQ route. As everyone says, what does it really give us other than a number. Thanks for the advice everyone! If anyone can recommend any resources/games/etc that will be good for his age and ability, I would be really grateful.

[metranilvavin]

Quite apart from what everyone else has said, IQ tests are even less accurate with very young children - many testers won't even consider children under six because of this.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

unless he has educational difficulties later on then I think you are right not pursue the iq route. Giving them a label creates all sort of expectations and pressures. Either it wont be as high as you secretly hope and then what? or it will be high and then he will carry that badge around as though it is something important and potentially become defined by it. It can make a persons personality become lopsided.

Keep going as you are - lots of opportunities and interests and he will thrive.

[lljkk]

IQ tests weren't developed for very young children, so they are especially inaccurate for them, iyswim.
Better to save your money & get him tested (if you still want to) at age 8+. When the results will be taken more seriously.

[cory]

I think your friend is understimating you! You already do know lots about him. You are meeting his needs for stimulation- he knows that it is worth asking you where the moon goes or where the sand does, you are encouraging his interest in letters and numbers at his pace.

Even if you had the most accurate predictions by the most accurate methods yet to be invented, there wouldn't be anything you should be doing differently. By the sounds of it, you are spot on!

IQ tests are useful for older children whose needs are not being met. Neither is relevant in your case.

[morefalafel]

Yeah he might think its worth asking me cory but when he said What does sand do? the best I could come up with was Erm... lets ask Daddy! And the best DP could come up with (science teacher no less) was it marks the edge of the land!!! It was left to Nanny to come up with "it makes glass"

Thanks again for the votes of confidence

[noisytoys]

DD had an IQ test when she was 3 (she's 5 now). She was referred to an ed psyche by the health visitor after her 2 year check. She has an IQ in the top 0.4% and a shiny Mensa plaque on the fireplace. Other than that its made no difference to school. She had done well in her first year though but that is down to going to the right school for her as much as anything.

[bishboschone]

I agree with others that kids peak at different ages . I was a very bright child and a mediocre bright ish adult . My dd was like your ds and is very bright but not g and t . I am however a very placid parent and let her get on with it so if pushed I think she could have been very bright . I just want her to be happy .

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

I don't think you make a child bright by pushing them. It's an innate ability. Yes, they can score better in exams if pushed, but it doesn't alter their intelligence. It's the same as you can't turn a child who isn't naturally talented at football into a premiership footballer by making them train every day. Also, some children remain at the top (and beyond) of their class throughout their childhood and into adulthood.

In saying that, intelligence isn't actually a terribly important measure of a person, other aspects like emotional intelligence, compassion, resilience are a much better measure of success and happiness.

[BlackeyedSusan]

honestly? an iq test is not necessary, yet. it might never be necessary, but that depends on the school you get.

if you do want to test... my best guess would be wait til age 6 and use the wisc IV. the preschool test can be done younger. you would need to reseaarch what age would be best.

if you do test though, it may only be for your benefit... proof that you are not one of "those" parents and you are not deluded. that is so worth it.

[Layl77]

Mine was the same at 2. Asking what words were and remembering them, writing her name copying words etc. she could talk fluently by 18months too. She's not a child genius now just peaked early!

[Prozacbear]

I wouldn't bother with the IQ test tbh. Kids change so much particularly at this age ...

DS was reading letters without prompting at 2.2, recognizing words out of context, spelling things out ... and now at 2.5 has absolutely no interest - it's all cars now!

Just enjoy him, he sounds lovely.

[basildonbond]

Ds did have an IQ test when he was in reception but the main reason was to find out why he wasn't reading and writing at all when verbally he was obviously very advanced, coming out with very sophisticated sentences and making connections etc

The result actually wasn't terribly useful (it told us he was exceptionally bright but we already knew that). The following year he decided he was going to read and went from books with no words to being a completely fluent reader able to pick up anything and read it straight away in 12 weeks. Unfortunately he used his new-found skill to read the paediatrician's notes upside down and saw his score. I do wish he'd never found out because it made him think that he was do brilliant he never had to try

If you do go down the testing route (and I can't see why you would unless there's a problem at school) then don't make a big thing about it - a high IQ is fine but it's what you do with it that counts - I've no idea what dd's IQ is as there's never been any reason to test her - I suspect it's lower than ds's but I also suspect she'll do much better academically as she always wants to do her best and wouldn't dream of coasting

[Cat98]

I always remember when we took ds for settling in at nursery (13 months) and he pointed out all the numbers on a number chart - the staff were amazed!
He is 5 now and is potentially gifted at maths.

However I do take these things with a pinch of salt (though its hard not to get carried away when your own child is doing amazing things!) because I was flagged up as gifted at a young age and iq tested (though in literacy especially so a bit different) - spent the whole of primary school ring ahead, but tailed off in secondary. Ended up with reasonably good qualifications but didnt make it to Oxbridge. Earn peanuts now in a job that doesn't use my degree.
So it's not just iq that determines how well someone will do in life, particularly when they are so young.
However, I do agree that it's important to cater for such children to give them the best chance of fulfilling potential - but honestly, I wouldn't bother with an iq test at that age.

He sounds very clever though!

[JavaDad]

I'm not sure that it is possible to measure a social construct such as 'intelligence' in an adult, let alone a toddler!

[ItsOkayItsJustMyBreath]

I'm not sure about an IQ test as I have no experience of them but it might be worth contacting your local HV team and asking them to do something called a Schedule of Growing Skills. DS has just had one and because the results showed he was advanced I have been told to call our Early Years team as they will give me advice regarding nursery and possible funding for when he starts school.

He certainly sounds very bright! DS is 2.6 and quite a handful