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Many more boys than girls are recognised as "gifted" by their teachers, and, as parents, we're more likely to recognise that we have a "gifted" son than a "gifted" daughter. Boys usually let their peers and classmates know of their gifts, even at the risk of social isolation, while gifted girls tend to become chameleons, blending in with the other girls. They hide their talents at the cost of inhibiting the development of their abilities, says Dr Linda Kreger Silverman, of the Gifted Development Centre in Denver, Colorado.

There are exceptions - notably, the many cases where giftedness exists alongside a learning disability (such as a problem with reading) which may mask a child's true intelligence. "When we compare the developmental patterns of gifted girls to those of gifted boys, we begin to wonder if the boys in general are socially deficient or if the girls are socially talented," Silverman says.