Gifted Child Clinic
The Gifted Child Clinic was founded on the premise that gifted children have special needs, particularly socially and emotionally, which are not recognized by society. A society with a passion to study developmental problems and failures also must possess the foresight to identify and support children who, as adults, might be capable of making substantial contributions to the general public good. We are interested in fostering mental health, physical well-being, and social competence in gifted children, and in creating home and school environments that maximize their potential.
Learning disabilities, attention problems, and emotional difficulties occur in gifted children. However, they are often overlooked, misunderstood, and misdiagnosed in children who are intellectually gifted. The child’s intellectual ability may mask a learning disorder such as dyslexia; perfectionism and attention to detail may be misdiagnosed as an emotional problem; and introversion may be misunderstood as a social problem without understanding the ways in which intellectual giftedness may contribute to the child’s behavior.
With support, gifted children can develop abilities that enhance their own lives and the lives of others. Without understanding and support, gifted children may be inhibited in the development of their gifts and talents, resulting in significant negative personal and societal consequences. The Gifted Child Clinic at Azusa Pacific University works to educate and empower families, schools, and communities to create a support system for gifted children that positively and effectively assists their development in all areas of life–academically, emotionally, and socially.
The Gifted Child Clinic provides evaluations and referrals for parents, pediatricians, psychologists, and educators for the purpose of early identification of gifted children, gifted learning-disabled children, and gifted underachievers. It also provides targeted interventions for gifted children, recognizing their often unique developmental trajectory, including coordination difficulties, sensory processing issues, and social and emotional concerns. Finally, it functions as an educational center, offering lectures, seminars, and training to graduate students in psychology, developmental nursing, education, and physical therapy on the identification and development of the gifted child.
