Q. My son is almost three and is asking a lot of 'why' questions. Truthfully, it is sort of annoying. How can I stop him or slow him down?

A. It is absolutely wonderful that your son at this age is asking 'why' questions. This shows that he is ready to learn and it is very likely that he is an intelligent child. He may also be imitating what he hears. If he has older siblings or parents or guardians who are always asking why, it is quite likely that he will do the same thing. Always answer his questions as simply and honestly as possible. Introduce him to books and activities and the Internet that will give him information about the things he asks. If he is ready to read, encourage him to do so.

Q. My 10-year-old scored very high on an intelligence test but is not doing well in school. He got a score of 120. What could be causing his poor performance in school?

A. Your child may not be motivated for one reason or another to do well in school. It may be that he is bored in the classroom and, therefore, he is just not interested in regular schoolwork. Your son may benefit from individualised instruction and special educational activities that build on his interests and abilities. Most schools are geared towards working with average children and so may not be stimulating enough for your child. Ask your guidance counsellor if there are any programmes in your area that can help your child. Also, call the Mico Care Centre to see if they can refer you to an agency or school that caters to children who may be gifted or talented.

Q. My daughter was born with a physical disability. Even though we did several ultrasounds, the doctor did not realise this. What do we do now?

A. Many times physical disabilities may not be identified until after a child is born. It is going to be important that you educate yourself about the child's disability, the rights of your child and the types of services that are available to help your child and your family cope with this new situation. There are many agencies in Jamaica for almost all catergories of disabilities. You can contact Vista Counselling and Assessment Services at 382-7034, which will guide you to the agency that will provide support services for your child and your family.

If there are any schools throughout the island that cater to gifted and talented children, please let us know so we can refer children to your programmes.

Orlean Brown-Earle, PhD, is a child psychologist and family therapist. Dr Brown-Earle works with children with learning and behaviour problems throughout the island and in the Caribbean. Email questions to helpline@gleanerjm.com or send to Ask the Doc, c/o The Gleaner Company, 7 North Street, Kingston.