Anne Woods: A Weekend for Superheroes
2-Year-Old Child Genius Has IQ of 156
Filed under: In The News, Amazing Kids
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.
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.
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.
 |
|||
  |
  |
  |
  |
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.
Amazing Human Anomalies
Largest identical birth
While Preana, Audreana, Natalie and Melody aren't the world's only identical quadruplets, the chances of four identical babies is 1 in 11 million.
Getty Images
Smallest baby to survive
Rumaisa (on the left) weighed only 8.6 ounces when she was born.
Getty Images
Tallest man in the world
At approximately 8ft 3in tall, Leonid Stadnyk is the world's tallest human.
Getty Images
World's shortest man
At only 2ft 4in tall, 19-year-old He Pingping is the world's shortest human.
Getty Images
World's tallest woman
At 7ft 7in tall, Sandy Allen was the world's tallest woman until her death last month.
Getty Images
3rd smallest baby
Zoe managed to survive after weighing only 10.8 ounces at birth. She was the 3rd smallest baby in US history.
Getty Images
15.2-pound baby
This enormous baby was the largest ever in his home country of Indonesia, and one of the biggest babies on record around the world.
Getty Images
World's oldest man
When this photo was taken in 2002, Yukichi Chuganji had made it to the ripe old age of 113.
Getty Images
World's oldest woman?
Miriam Amash claims to be 120 years old (meaning she would have been born in 1888!). Her age is still being confirmed.
Getty Images
Your<span>Voice</span>
Ask Us Anything About Parenting
TheTalkies:RelatedVideos
-
Parent-Teacher Conference Tips for Parents - Part 21
How many times a year should I have a conference with my child's teacher?
-
Parent-Teacher Conference Tips for Parents - Part 20
What is the purpose of the conference at the beginning of the year?
-
Kids Answer: What Do Parents Really Do at Work
We unleashed 7-year-old reporter Aiden on AOL's New York City offices, where he asked kids who accompanied their parents to work that day how they imagine their parents spend time at the office.
-
Compton Parents Take on the Public System
Last year, parents of students in failing California public schools were given a reason to be hopeful when Sacramento politicians passed something called the "parent trigger" law. The way the law works is that if 51% of parents at a failing school sign a petition, they can turn the school into a charter school, replace the staff or simply use the petition as a bargaining chip to initiate a conversation about change.
SitesWeLove
- Site Map
- |
- Staff
- |
- Terms of Service
- |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Trademarks
- |
- Advertise With Us
- |
- About Our Ads
- |
- AOL Downloads
- |
- Contact Us
- |
© Copyright 2012 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Aol Family
ReaderComments (Page 5 of 6)
5-05-2009 @ 11:41AM
kathryn levenson said...I have been a mensa member since jr. high. I tested 156 in 6th grade when the school decided to give me the 3+ hour battey of tests. Her parents would do well to provide lots of varied opportunities for learning. I love learning and it helped me go through from junior high through part of grad school on scholarship. An adult problem is that I need constant learning stimulation and so I get bored in jobs and am not shy at telling upper management how they could improve things. Thus I end up changing jobs at least every three years and have had at least 4 career paths at age 50. Also, it is important to balance intelligence with physical fitness and emotional health.
Reply
5-05-2009 @ 11:44AM
thesby said...wish i had her iq at 2 .i would be working as a billionare ceo not as a second rate city worker straching to get by!!!
Reply
5-05-2009 @ 11:50AM
hermine said...My grand daughter is 2yrs 8 mo and 10 days. She said her first words at 5mos and they were "Hi Dad" She was talking several word sentences at 15 months and speaks English and spanish. She also sins a song in French. She reasons on everything before she speaks or reacts. People are always amazed at her. About 10 months ago she told me she wanted to be an astronaut and is mezmorized by space shows. Six months ago she announced she was going to be a nautical engineer instead. She started preschool at 2yrs and 8 days and they say she is very gifted. I am her father's mom, but he is adopted so she did not get any of this from me, so in that respect I am unbias.
Reply
5-05-2009 @ 11:56AM
Magdalena59 said...um...my little brother is 3 now and when he was 2 he memorized every character from thomas the tank engine...everyone. he corrected me then...and still does. if a child around this age watches something alot...they usually memorize the characters...its human nature...doesnt mean this girl is a genious. my brother has been doing that for a long time and he also knows alot about dinosaurs too...he can also tell me the difference between steam engines and diesels. he also knows who obama is, we have no idea why, and he says hes a good person.
Reply
5-05-2009 @ 11:53AM
Magdalena59 said...um...my little brother is 3 now and when he was 2 he memorized every character from thomas the tank engine...everyone. he corrected me then...and still does. if a child around this age watches something alot...they usually memorize the characters...its human nature...doesnt mean this girl is a genious. my brother has been doing that for a long time and he also knows alot about dinosaurs too...he can also tell me the difference between steam engines and diesels. he also knows who obama is, we have no idea why, and he says hes a good person.
Reply
5-05-2009 @ 11:58AM
mm said...Its a shame how parents use their children to get noticed or to get attention. I really feel sorry for these parents if they really loved their daughter like they say they do. They would not USE her for publicity. A parent always tries to protect their kids instead of opening them up to all kinds of exposures in this world. Do they not realize that this child has just been exposed to crazy people in this world anyone can kidnap her just for the sake of money because she may be "gifted"? Opening a pandora's box in this crazy world is jsut what these parents have done. Being porud of your child for their advancements or gifts is something you keep within you family life to protect them. Its like someone winning the lottery who has kids, for the sake of exposure would you tell the world your a millionare? I certainly wouldn't, ti could hurt a family in many ways. I have 6 grandkids all are very smart, respectful and Honor students with allot of capabilities but they are not "GENUISES" thank God they are normal children with high intellect. My grandkids spoke, walked, counted, read and memorized at very early ages less than 5 some have even skipped grades but this doesn't mean they are "GENUISES. I would rather call then BRIGHT STUDENTS.
Reply
5-05-2009 @ 12:07PM
William Bischoff said...One of my grandchildren was talking at three months. She would hear a word and repeat it. She also would hear my clock chime, turn her head toward the sound and say "clock". She would hear the doorbell and tap my arm and say "door". She said simple words like dad da and momma, and nani, (me), and eat, bottle, no, etc. Then when she was about a year old, she developed a cold and ran a temperature of about 103. After that she stopped talking almost completely for several months. We didn't know if it was her hearing or what, but she seemed to be able to hear sounds as well as we could tell. After that she started talking in sentences and was communicating like an adult by the time she was two. She has an extremely good memory and is teaching herself piano and she takes violin lessons. SCHOOL IS ANOTHER STORY. "WHEN" SHE DOES HER SCHOOL WORK IN CLASS, IT IS ALWAY PERFECT, BUT OFTEN SHE WILL JUST SIT AND NOT PARTICIPATE. She is in Middle School, and we know she is learning, but she isn't interested in anything at school except those things SHE WANTS TO LEARN. We have tried to change this and she is gettinh much better, but it has been a real struggle. Having eleven other grandchildren, and watching them develop, I am of the opinion that MOST children have a greater capacity for learning than we give them credit for, and we just have to find a way to "bring it out". I have a grandson who played piano by leaning the notes using numbers then memorizing them, starting at about four. He could play fifteen or twenty songs from memory by age five. He hasn't been the best student in school through the years however, because he said it is SOO boring. He is, however exceptionally good with numbers and math, because he says math "builds" on itself in your head. All children are different, and we, too often lump them together with the same expectations for learning.
Reply
5-05-2009 @ 12:19PM
ROBERT SEATON said...SO SHE GROWS UP TO BE A CRACK WHORE. IT'S NOT THE I.Q., IT'S HOW YOU ARE TAUGHT, AND WHAT YOU DO WITH IT.
Reply
5-05-2009 @ 1:18PM
Tonia said...what a bunch of jealous people? If it were your child, you will do the same thing----PLZ!!!!
Reply
5-05-2009 @ 1:01PM
Jules said...She's definitely a cute little girl...genius? Mensa material?
Time will tell...
Reply
5-05-2009 @ 1:07PM
tenisha said...you have to count your kids words to make sure that they are developing on their level because if they are not you can get them help as early as possible
Reply
5-05-2009 @ 1:18PM
dearolliegirl said...Doesn't the word "mensa" translate as "stupid" in Spanish? ;0)
Reply
5-05-2009 @ 1:26PM
Dave said...All that "smarts" without the gift of common sense is worthless; or worse yet, detrimental to themselves and others.
Reply
5-05-2009 @ 1:26PM
mya said...Jealous much? Most of the comments sound as if you're angry you couldn't be the one to mother or father a genius child or be a genius child. Please get over yourselves. How can something so precious be taken and trashed by grown adults.
Reply
5-05-2009 @ 1:29PM
Jennifer said...My son has an IQ of 135 and is in the 3rd grade. He still has chores to do and still has to interact with his classmates. We have kept his IQ secret from him on the advice of his gifted teacher at school. My son knew his alphabet at 18 months, but didn't walk until that time. He could pick up a pencil and hold it correctly before then. Different milestones do not indicate genius ( yes I realize my son fell 5 points below genius) status. He does show an aptitude for art and drawing.
My nephew had an IQ of 180. Unfortunately, he passed away from an auto accident when he was 20. Before that, he drifted in and out of school, was kicked out of the gifted program in college and never was interested in school. Each person is his own and genius doesn't give you the "you will be successful" card.
Reply
5-05-2009 @ 1:34PM
j said...MY 2 year old twins can do calculus, eat a baloney sandwich while reading War and Peace, travel backward and time, and make themselves invisible.....
....Say, perhaps the parents of this little girl need a hobby? Something that doesn't involve taking their kid to Professor Largebrain and trying to figure out what their kid's IQ is....
Reply
5-05-2009 @ 1:40PM
ceciliaandfaith said...I don't get why people have to be so negative about good things that don't happen to them. just think that little girl could help save our world when she gets older.
Reply
5-05-2009 @ 1:42PM
Cindi said...I have to agree with a previous post - my son is gifted, knows it, and can be really overbearing when he's around slower kids. His school's gifted program is one day a week for four hours - not near what he needs - but because his social skills are not on par with his intellect, I'll leave him in and try to supplement his educational pursuits. I have a friend who elected to homeschool her daughter because she's a year older than my son but not on his level scholastically - the girl is learning Japanese and karate, which is great, but she has no peers to play with because she's being excluded from school events.
My son was speaking and walking before he was 1, playing preschool games on the computer before he was 2, and right now (5th grade) reads at an 11th grade level and performs most scholastic tasks on a 9th grade level . . . all led by his interests, not by mine. I know he's gifted, but I can also see the pitfalls if I stress his intelligence and ignore his socialization. This girl's parents say they are going to encourage her to pursue other interests . . . I hope so, but I'm afraid they are already showing signs of leaning the other way . ..
Reply
5-05-2009 @ 2:44PM
Squiggles said...To the poster who said that Mensa is Spanish for "stupid": it's actually Latin for "table" (which is also why at some Universities the lunch room is called Mensa). So who is really stupid?
Reply
5-05-2009 @ 4:07PM
Jerry Lessard said...this child is adorable and to be blessed with such a high I q is astronomical. best wishes to the family and this adorable child.
so good to read good news for a change.
Reply