Supporting Your Child’s Unique Strengths

Autistic children see the world differently from their neurotypical peers. In some cases, children who are autistic and gifted may experience unique strengths and challenges that can be hard for us to understand.

This doesn’t mean they’ll be gifted at everything, though. They might still think rigidly, have difficulties interpreting social cues, and have sensory sensitivities. 

People often think that children can’t be both gifted and autistic. However, research shows that this isn’t the case. If your child is showing signs of giftedness, there are some things you can do to support your little genius.

Download your FREE guide on 

A Fine Line Between the World of

Giftedness and Autism

Can you be gifted and autistic?

A person can be both gifted and autistic. Giftedness refers to exceptional intellectual abilities, measured through IQ scores, creative problem-solving, or advanced skills in a specific area. In other words, it involves advanced cognitive abilities.

Autism is more about social communication, behavior patterns, and sensory processing.

Autism and giftedness can share common traits. Autistic children often struggle to fit into regular classrooms, a challenge gifted children also face.

However, some autistics may be twice exceptional kids or “2e”.

This means that an autistic child may have strong abilities in some areas but significant difficulties in others. This can make it difficult for parents and educators to fully understand how to support them.

Addressing myths and misunderstandings

There are many myths surrounding autism and giftedness. A common one is that all gifted children are skilled socially. In reality, some highly gifted children may struggle with social interactions, especially if they’re also autistic.

Another common myth is that autism offsets giftedness. However, many autistic people are talented in areas such as math, music, technology, and more.

Many believe that gifted children don’t need support. However, even highly intelligent people can struggle with executive functioning, emotional regulation, and more.

Signs of giftedness in autism

Even though gifted autistic children can have similar traits to neurotypical children and non-gifted autistic peers, they can have characteristics that are distinct.

Like what you’re reading?

UNLOCK FULL ACCESS (50%OFF)

Boosting social skills

Managing behavioural issues

Building communication skills

Special education insights

Transitioning to adulthood

Latest News & Success Stories

Some common signs of giftedness in autism include:

• Intense focus: They may become deeply absorbed in certain activities, sometimes to the exclusion of everything else.
• Advanced problem-solving: They can think in abstract ways, see and make connections to things that others may miss, and come up with unique solutions to problems.
• Exceptional memory: Many can have a remarkable ability to recall various facts, numbers, or patterns.
• Increased sensory awareness: They may be very sensitive to light, sound, temperature, or texture.
• Strong sense of justice: They may have good morals when they approach various life situations.

Key differences between gifted autistic and neurotypical children include:

• Social challenges: Gifted neurotypical people may not have challenges in certain social settings, but an autistic individual may struggle in this area.
• Learning styles: Autistic children may require teaching methods that are specialized, while gifted autistic children may not struggle to meet traditional teaching methods.
• Emotional intensity: Autistic children may struggle with regulating their emotions.

For example, a child may have one of the highest math marks in the class but struggle more during recess. Such uneven abilities can occasionally lead to parents and teachers having unrealistic expectations if they don’t fully understand how an autistic person’s mind works.

Challenges of being gifted and autistic

Gifted autistic children often face unique challenges that can impact their social interactions, academic experiences, and sensory needs.

Common social and emotional struggles include: 

• They may have trouble understanding social norms.
• They have difficulty connecting with peers because of intense, restricted interests.
• They may feel anxious or frustrated due to experiencing emotional sensitivity.

Gifted autistic children often struggle with academic expectations vs. reality, such as: 

• Teachers may assume a child who is gifted won’t need extra support, which means they may not notice executive functioning issues right away.
• Rigid curriculums may not fully accommodate their intellectual abilities and sensory needs.

Sensory and environmental difficulties often affect gifted children on the spectrum. Common examples include:

• Sensory overload in classrooms that are loud and chaotic may take place.
• Difficulty going from one activity to another is also quite common.
• A need for structure and intellectual stimulation is a big one.

For example, a 10-year-old boy may do particularly well in creative writing to the point he can create entire worlds in his stories. However, he may find it overwhelming to work in a classroom where peers are constantly loud and chatty.

His teacher may see how gifted he is but doesn’t always understand that he needs sensory breaks in order for him to fully finish the task. As a result, both the child and the teacher may feel frustrated.

How to support a gifted autistic child

What’s the best way to support a child who is both gifted and autistic? The answer is simply a balanced approach.

This approach should allow their talents to shine in the school environment while accommodating their needs.

Some effective strategies for parents and educators may include:

• Recognize both strengths and challenges: A child may need support from adults in social situations, even if they are doing well academically.
• Allow a flexible learning environment: A person may not need much support in subjects they excel at, but they may need more support in ones they find challenging.
• Encourage their interests but also teach them balance: While allowing the child to spend time on their special interests, you should also help them develop coping strategies.
• Teach emotional regulation: You can help them manage their frustration, anxiety, and social interactions in the most concrete ways possible.
• Create spaces that are sensory-friendly: When an autistic child can access quieter areas and have routines that are structured, they can manage their sensory overload better.

Download your FREE guide on 

A Fine Line Between the World of

Giftedness and Autism

For example, a school can modify its gifted program by offering a social skills training group for gifted students who may struggle more with social skills. This allows autistic gifted students to work at their level of intellect while receiving the support they need.

Nurturing your child’s unique potential

A gifted and autistic child isn’t “too much” or “too complicated.” Their brains are wired in unique ways, which means they have extraordinary potential.

With the right support from adults, they can grow academically, socially, and personally in ways you may not have expected.

Once you recognize that being gifted and autistic can be both an advantage and a challenge, you can create an environment that emphasizes success and thriving.

FAQs

Q: Are highly gifted people autistic?

A: This isn’t always the case, but giftedness and autism can often overlap each other. Some gifted people are autistic, while others aren’t.

Q: What are the signs of an autistic genius?

A: You should look out for how well they intensely focus in certain areas, if they have advanced expertise in specific subjects, and if they have scored high on past IQ tests. You should also consider how consistently they perform in each of these areas to know if they have exceptional cognitive abilities.

Q: Can giftedness mask autism?

A: Giftedness often masks autism. This is mainly because a child’s intelligence may minimize some of their autistic traits. Many times, this can lead to a later or missed autism diagnosis.