Is 81 high for a child's IQ?

Answer 1

81 is average, but I would not put too much emphasis on the number. I have meet some really dumb people with high IQs. Focus on ability and talents, not the nummber.

Answer 2

81 is not a high IQ for anyone. However, the important issue is can the child function close to or above their IQ level? The IQ is supposed to show what we are capable of. 81 is a little below average. So what does that mean really? I believe it means that the child will have to work a little harder to learn. They still will be able to learn everything that they will need to know and can be totally functional in a normal school environment as long as they are functioning close to their IQ level. If they are not, then they may need some extra assistance discovering the best way for that particular child to learn and overcoming the stumbling block to learning.

Answer 3

Average IQ is approx 100 so 81 suggests the child is below average. This may sound distressing but if the child is young enough and with help he/she can learn more and within few years the IQ will go up. Children vary and they do surprise us so don't be too worried.

Answer 4

IQ is a difficult measure of what you know and if you are smart or not. IQ tests are mainly set up to test your knowledge base and reasoning skills based on a supposed average of individuals.
The age of the child determines a lot regarding IQ testing. If the child is young, but doing the same things as other children and keeping up with others in school, if they are school aged, forget about IQ testing and work on the report card, that is what anyone looks at anyway.

Answer 5

No 81 is not high for a child's IQ

Answer 6

How old is the child? I'm not sure how accurate IQ tests are in really young children. Generally speaking though, 81 is not a high IQ.

Answer 7

It is not especially high, but the number (and the process for obtaining it) are open to interpretation. Most IQ tests used today are created with certain age groups in mind (so if your child is six years old, for example, you wouldn't ask her higher math questions or logic puzzles involving things she hasn't experienced yet) IQ is determined by taking the average score of everyone who has taken the test and comparing it to the individual, assigning the "mental age" (what age group the test taker appears to think like the most) and dividing by chronological age, then multiplying by 100. So 100 is established as an average person, someone who thinks like the average person in their age group. If our society as a whole gets smarter (or better at taking tests), the 100 score will reflect smarter people, and those who score higher than 100 have to be that much smarter in order to rank well above all the rest of us.

A lot of things can affect how well a child performs on an IQ test, including the quality of the test itself (they are not all created equal), the guidelines for interpreting the results (some questions may very well have more than one correct answer, when read differently), the ability of the child to take tests (as we all know, some kids simply don't test well, even if they have the requisite knowledge), and how many IQ tests the child has already taken (most of them ask the same kinds of questions, so the more tests the child takes, the better he or she will likely score on them). Oh yeah, and the child's actual IQ and level of education DO contribute, though some would argue they have the least effect on the final score.

A few other points to consider:
1) IQ tests don't really test knowledge, but rather reasoning, verbal and spatial skills. Obviously, the person taking the test has to have a certain level of comprehension in order to understand what is being asked of them, but the tests don't ask you the best way to bake a cake, to expalin the theory of relativity, or the surface area of the Great Pyramid at Giza. They doesn't gauge how much you've learned from life, how much wisdom you've gained from your experiences, or any other useful talents that can't be translated easily to a multiple-choice answer form.
2) In the past couple of decades, new ideas about intelligence have risen that indicate there are multiple kinds of intelligence, and that classic IQ tests only measure one of them. Emotional intelligence (understanding of self), social intelligence (what we used to call charisma), and physical intelligence (someone like Michael Jordan is high in this area) are all examples of these alternate types of intellect. We've all heard about geniuses who were antisocial recluses -- they were low on emotional or social intellect, but high on logic and reasoning skills. While I won't sell any of our top athletes short, it could be argued that while they are at the apex of their sports, they probably couldn't tell quantum physics from a hole in the ground (or the fabric of the universe.. but whatever)

Bottom line, you can't rely on an IQ score alone to determine if a child has a learning disability; There are a lot of other things you have to look at to say whether they are gifted or need a little help; if in doubt, consult a professional child development therapist at school for further evaluation.

Answer 8

No. It is substantially below the average range of 90-110.
Keep in mind however, IQ tests make certain cultural assumptions which may not apply to everyone.

Answer 9

81 is considered low average. I believe anything in the 70's is considered mildly retarded. a 100 is the mean or average for normal intelligence.

Answer 10

No a child is border line MR or what people call slow. Average is 90 to 110