Two-year-old Benjamin Lustosa from Feira de Santana, Bahia, has become the youngest Brazilian to be a member of the International High IQ Society.
“This really took us by surprise. We have heard stories of many gifted and recognized children since they were little, so we never imagined that he would be the youngest Brazilian to become a member”, says Dayane Sanara de Matos Lustosa, lawyer and mother of Benjamin.
Benjamin Lustosa is also the 5th youngest member of Mensa, the oldest and most famous high-IQ society in the world, of which he has been a member since August.
Benjamin was diagnosed with high abilities and giftedness, with an IQ of 133. His development has always caught his parents’ attention.
“With the recognition of his condition, everything started to make more sense,” says his mother, Dayane, in an interview with CRESCER.
“At one and a half years old, he was already saying all the letters, identifying words that began with each
letter of the alphabet . He already knew geometric shapes, colors, numbers… All of this in both Portuguese and English,” his mother said.
At the age of 2, Benjamin started attending preschool. “That was when the biggest warning came. We were called to a meeting, where the pedagogical and psychological team informed us that he already had prior knowledge and knowledge beyond his age, as well as a strong attachment to books . They advised us to evaluate him,” explains Dayane.
Benjamin underwent an evaluation with a neuro paediatrician, who diagnosed him with exceptional abilities and advanced potential compared to children his age. Following this, the family consulted a neuropsychologist, who confirmed his giftedness and revealed that he had an impressive IQ of 133.
For context, the average IQ range is between 91 and 109. “He took a nonverbal intelligence test that’s recommended for his age, and it’s an internationally recognized assessment,” his mother explains.
The early diagnosis brought the parents a sense of relief.
“Once we understood his condition, everything started to make more sense. We could better understand some of his behaviors. It wasn’t a total surprise, as we had already noticed his progress compared to other children his age. But understanding his neurodevelopmental condition gave us the clarity to provide him with the right support,” she reflects.
It was the specialists who advised the parents to enrol Benjamin in high IQ societies, which they did.
“He knows geometric shapes in both English and Portuguese, the planets in order, animals in both languages, moon phases, opposites, numbers, and letters in English and Portuguese, and is starting to read. He also recognizes fingers and teeth and identifies syllables in words,” shares Dayane, his mother.
Dayane stresses that none of these achievements were actively encouraged.
“Everything he knows is a surprise to us. He chooses what he wants to learn on his own. Giftedness is an innate potential, not something that depends on external stimulation. We’ve never tried to push him to progress faster, but when he shows interest, we gladly join him on the journey,” she explains.
Benjamin’s parents are thrilled with his development, but they also acknowledge the challenges he faces.
“Some people believe that gifted children never make mistakes or that everything comes easily to them. There’s often pressure for them to always be right or constantly acquire new knowledge. But that’s not how it works,” Dayane emphasizes.
She adds that gifted children require a great deal of emotional support.
“They need a lot of guidance. Emotional support is key to helping them handle external pressures, as these children tend to be perfectionists and are often hard on themselves. At home, we try to give Benjamin the support he needs to build a solid foundation so that external pressures don’t overwhelm him,” she concludes.
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