Is this “giftedness” an issue for these children and/or their parents? Can mastery of one or more skills or arts at an early age lead to true happiness? In social situations, the attribute that makes the Infant Prodigy such is the very attribute that is not understood by its peers, leading to exclusion and limited socialization by the very same. The natural interest of an infant prodigy and the rate at which information is absorbed is what sets these children apart from others. If a 1 ½ year old child likes to sit beside a parent who is painting and plays with the brushes and paint containers, no one sees anything out of the ordinary. However, if that same child at age 1 ½ is creating paintings that are obviously advanced for his or her skill level, we celebrate! Likewise, the child who is musically talented is no longer just seen as musically talented; instead, the talent becomes so important to the prodigy that no other interests are developed. This tends to ostracize the prodigy from his or her peers. Encouraging the prodigy child to feverishly develop the exceptional character that is related to their advanced development, parents often times fail to sufficiently care for all of the “normal” development needs of their son or daughter. The prodigy is lifted to heights above us and others and we anticipate his or her next great feat! In our strange excitement, it could be a temptation to focus on the capabilities of that child and not the child itself. Thus, the emotional and psychological questions evolve.

Abuse has many forms and neglect seems to be the most frequently ignored form of abuse. Many feel that Infant Prodigy software programs and daycare centers where accelerated learning is a required practice actually neglect the child and the need to foster the “normal” development of a child. Neglecting the child and focusing on his or her capabilities can actually stunt growth and development. For instance, if a child who begins to play the piano at age five is allowed to normally develop those talents (assuming they exist) this would enable continued development at a slower, more steady pace and, therefore, allow the child to continually excel as well as advance in his or her studies. At age ten, the prodigy would play piano with the skill of a ten year old. Likewise as a teenager, the prodigy would play piano with the skills of a teenager and so forth. Natural fears and anxiety may be produced in the prodigies that are simply written off as the prodigy being “different” by parents, teachers, and peers. This can, and has, lead to the prodigy having difficulties in childhood and even more difficulties adjusting into adulthood.

Transitioning into adulthood is difficult enough for someone whose talents have not exalted them to a supernatural level, let alone the infant prodigy. Mentally, we see these prodigies having I.Q.’s of 155, but not being interested in socially interacting with their peers. As adults, the priorities of the prodigy are different. They’ve already learned what others are now discovering and the prodigy is interested in different levels of learning and stimulation that their peers. All of these differences make transitioning into adulthood a major challenge for the prodigy. For the prodigy, it is not an issue of happiness or being smart, it is an issue of surviving with an enabling condition unlike that of anyone else in their environment.