2-Year-Old Child Genius Has IQ of 156

by Sandy Maple (Subscribe to Sandy Maple's posts) May 1st 2009 1:00PM

Elise Tan Roberts may be young, but she's already accomplished something the majority of us never will: She has become a member of Mensa. At just 2 years, 4 months and 2 weeks old, Elise has an estimated I.Q. of 156 -- putting her in the top 0.2 percent of children her age and qualifying her as the youngest member of the well-known society for smart people.

Child Genius

Elise has an estimated I.Q. of 156

David Crump, Daily Mail / ZUMA Press

"I just want her to be happy and enjoy herself," says Elise's mother, Louise.

David Crump, Daily Mail / ZUMA Press

Parents Louise and Edward say that even before their daughter learned to communicate, they suspected there was something special about her.

David Crump, Daily Mail / ZUMA Press

Parents Louise and Edward of North London say that even before their daughter learned to communicate, they suspected there was something special about her. As an infant, she had a tendency to stare at people and objects for long periods of time as if she were absorbing information. She uttered her first real word at five months (Dada) and began walking at eight months. But it wasn't until Elise corrected another parent who misidentified a triceratops as a rhinoceros that Louise and Edward became convinced that they should have their daughter's intelligence assessed.

Inspired by the story of Georgia Brown, Mensa's previous youngest member, Edward and Louise took Elise to see Professor Joan Freeman, a specialist education psychologist. She tested Elise using the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale and confirmed what Louise and Edward suspected -- Elise is gifted with an amazing memory that allows her to learn and progress at an advanced rate.

Mensa, formed in 1946 as a society for bright people, generally doesn't accept members under the age of 10 but an exception was made for Elise. "Elise's parents correctly identified that she is an exceptional child. They now realize they have an interesting challenge on their hands as she grows up. "We wish them well and look forward to seeing Elise develop in the coming years," says John Stevenage, head of Mensa.

Recognizing that Elise is barely past babyhood, her parents say they strive to provide those interesting challenges for their young genius while still allowing her to be a normal kid. "We don't want to make her have to dumb down and stop learning just to fit in. But she's still my baby. I just want her to be happy and enjoy herself," says Edward.

So, is Elise the next Marilyn vos Savant? Perhaps, but her current interests lean more toward entertainment than math. A lover of music and dance, she's on the waiting list for the prestigious Young Actors' Theatre and Chickenshed, a school for music, ballet, mime and dance.

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Comments (113)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)

Emily 5-01-2009 @ 9:39PM

I'm glad that even though her parents planning to support and encourage their daughter's intellegence, they still want to put a focus on her happiness.
Genius or not, she's still two, and has a long way to go in life. It's very good that her parents want her to enjoy herself, instead of shoving tests and schools in her face.

scott 5-05-2009 @ 9:25AM

SPREADDEAD- you wrote "i was given an iq test in elementary school and tested around 120, but the expectations and subsequent disappointments that cane come with the label "genius" is dangerous"---if you were labeled "genius" and later were disappointed, blame the "genius" who labeled you such, as a 120 IQ is just a little over average and nothing to be excited about

Len Robertson 5-05-2009 @ 10:24AM

First off, she's not a genius. History decides, not self serving tests. Second, she's not Mozart. That act came and went. Third, she has the misfortune to live in a family desperate to use her as a springboard to fame and fortune (the fact her parents exposed her to the media is proof enough that they are as shameless as those drag their children to Disney tryouts). Finally, unless she develops a particularly stubborn streak, her destiny will be chosen for her and that path leads inevitably to mediocrity.

Todd Keffer 5-05-2009 @ 12:56PM

hey scott: 120 is at the 90th percentile so I don't know what your talking about. That i.q. is well over average.

Mel 5-05-2009 @ 1:58PM

Is the irony lost on me alone that "MENSA" is Spanish for "stupid"?!? I have an iq of 148, but couldn't bring myself to join an organization called "Stupid".!

tasha 5-06-2009 @ 3:21AM

Mel, there is no spanish translation for Mensa. So yeah, the irony is lost on you alone.Stupid in Spanish: estúpido(a), idiota.

Terri 5-02-2009 @ 2:15PM

She is absolutely adorable! I have two "gifted" sons, very bright kids. Problem is, they figured out a long time ago that they were above my intelligence capabilities. Kids this smart, or smarter like this two year old, learn early how to manipulate their not quite as smart parents. Like me :) I am proud of my kids because they have such potential, but come on guys, go easy on your average i.q. mom okay? LOL
I look forward to who this precious young girl will become in time.

BB 5-02-2009 @ 4:47PM

It shouldn't matter how smart they are. If you are the parent, you should make decisions and stick with them. How can you be manipulated if there is no back talk?

dezzysmommy 5-02-2009 @ 2:30PM

omg she is gorgeous! that is amazing!
My daughter will be 2 in june and can count to 15, and knows over 500 words.. but that little girls iq is amazing! wow! congrats to her and her parents!

Lydia 5-05-2009 @ 9:19AM

It's okay to count how many words your child can say! It's great to be proud of your kids. The traits you give attention to tend to grow.

Just remember that demonstrating kindness, safety, responsibility and respect deserve as much reinforcement and attention, if not more.

Let their identity come from being unusually thoughtful rather than unusually smart, and they will do very well in life. There are plenty of people who test smart, not as many that are respectful to their parents, have good manners and put others first.

Encourage and count all their gifts.

Lydia
Mother of four
Kind, Safe, Responsible, Respectful (our family motto)
grade skipping, super-smart kids

Lolita 5-02-2009 @ 3:40PM

Mom & Dad, you have a lot of shaping up to do...A person who has above average IQ does not mean that they will be successful in life.
I know a few people who graduated as magna cum laude and did not succeed in their work like. In fact, because of their intelligence, they do the opposite thing and....there goes a worried parent.

bromac 5-04-2009 @ 12:18PM

This is a whole different than just graduating magna cum laude. I graduated magna cum laude and have just a bit over normal IQ.

And to the commentor that said the child must not be pushed at school and such....a child that smart strives to obtain information and will be easily bored otherwise.

I would be overwhelmed by my child being this unbelievably intelligent. I'm feel confident I would not be able to keep her stimulated to the level she would need and would have to have help in my part of her education, but MENSA will provide that to some extent.

MeMeMe 5-05-2009 @ 11:38AM

I am a very smart individual. My mom never encouraged me. I use my inteligence to manipulate my way through life. I can pass a college course and not read one book. Its all common knowledge for me.

conleyfan88 5-05-2009 @ 9:28AM

I agree with you just because they are considered a genious doesnt mean they will use there intillegence correctly, I work for people of the mentally ill and a few of the residents are above average inteligence, but suffer from schizophrenia due to there high iq a man at work was a physics professor and a lady has a masters in psychology and so on so being smart doesnt always mean good things

hERMAN 5-05-2009 @ 12:54PM

Some of these people with high IQ and graduating magna cum laude, dont have sense enough to "get in out of the rain".

Lolita 5-10-2009 @ 11:51PM

Mom and Dad, I do not wish to be mean....but I sincerely meant that
outside influence can affect the outcome.

keep working on love..

Sarah 5-02-2009 @ 4:24PM

There is something wrong with the test to join Mensa if they seriously think that child is really that intelligent. It's just not possible. That child's brain is still growing and this is the biggest load of crap I've ever heard. I wouldn't be surprised if it was pulled from a tabloid and aol actually thought it was reputable.

newbaku 5-03-2009 @ 12:56AM

Actually, intelligence tests are analyed with specific standard deviations to adjust for age.

spreaddead 5-03-2009 @ 2:55PM

intelligence tests simply measure a persons ability to interpret, retain, and apply knowledge, which in theory doesn't change wether youre 2 or 20 or 100... i was given an iq test in elementary school and tested around 120, but the expectations and subsequent disappointments that cane come with the label "genius" is dangerous, i hope no one pushes this girl too far... oh and we're both named elise!

Sarah 5-04-2009 @ 10:21AM

The IQ test was originally created to separate children/people with learning disabilities from those who were considered normal. People then started to tout is as a way to brag about how intelligent you are. I'll say it again. A two year old just can't be that smart. It's like the children who are supposedly amazing artists and then someone films a documentary only to find that Mom and Dad do all the work while the kid is just used for publicity.
I smell a lie here period. The kid just can't be that smart.