The National Association for Gifted Children states that youths who demonstrate exceptional abilities to reason and learn in at least one domain receive classification as being gifted. Parents who feel their kids fit this description may want to have them complete a kids IQ test.

Knowing if a child is gifted early on can help parents make decisions that will most benefit this individual in the long run. Patrick Hurst, a 20-year-old junior at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is one example of someone who showed intellectual talent at a young age, the Chicago Daily Herald reported.

Around the age of 1, Hurst began to show signs of extraordinary intelligence, according to the news source. In fact, he would scan car magazines and identify different makes and models while he was still in his high chair. It is Hurst's intellectual curiosity that led him to learn calculus in the sixth grade.

Around the age of 6 or 7, Hurst took an IQ test and scored better than 200, which the news outlet reported is rare. However, Hurst's high level of intelligence also means that he has to keep his mind occupied at all times.

For this reason alone, parents who identify their children's talents at a young age can help them find activities that will keep them intellectually satisfied.