I have my own theory about gifted and high needs children.  I think of it as
a chicken and egg issue, like which came first?  Nature versus nurture.  I
have my own high need child who has turned into a real go-getter who, though
she had some learning challenges in school, has always been a
straight-forward child.  If she wanted something, she found a way to get it.
This was the child we had to leave the side of the crib down for when she
was 15 months old because she would climb over it to come get in our bed.
Her feet hitting the floor used to wake me up!  She moved out of state upon
graduation from high school and I don't expect she'll ever move back.  (Of
course, I raised my kids to be adventurous!)  However, I think children who
are high needs may in part be smarter because they got so much attention
when they were young, attention they demanded!  In fact, I tell parents that
their high-need baby is smart, they know to demand what they need!  OTOH, I
worry more about "good" babies, who sometimes don't even demand to be fed
enough.  I saw a friend's child go through this and end up with
developmental delays, that I'm not convinced had nothing to do with the fact
that her parents left her lying in her bed as often as she would let them,
which was often.  She didn't grow well either.  They weren't bad parents.
She just didn't demand more, so they didn't give her more; they also had an
older child to take care of after all.  I'm sure there are many things that
interact to make our children what they become.  It sure makes it seem all
the more valuable to breastfeed and therefore, really get to know your child
and their personality from the beginning when you have no clue who they are
or what issues may be lurking!

Marsha, recovering from a killer sinus infection...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Marsha Glass RN, BSN, IBCLC~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mothers have as powerful an influence over the welfare of future generations
as all other earthly causes combined.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~John S. C. Abbot~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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