Intelligence tests are given to kids to determine where they stand in relation to other kids in the ability to perform intellectual tasks. When your child receives a score on an intelligence test, that score represents a percentile. An IQ, or intelligence quotient, of 100 means the child has scored in the 50th percentile. This means that her score is higher than half the other kids her age and lower than the other half.
History
At the request of the French government in 1904, Alfred Binet created the first intelligence test. Although IQ tests are given to people of all ages today, Binet designed the first test as a means of identifying kids in school who might need additional help. IQ measurement soon followed, which determined a child's "mental age" and compared it against his actual age in years to arrive at a score.
Considerations
Binet himself warned against giving too much credence to intelligence tests. He developed his first test for a specific purpose and was afraid it might permanently damage children if the scores were assigned more importance than originally intended. Critics of intelligence testing claim this is exactly what has happened. They also say that intelligence tests are biased against children from other cultures and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. In addition, intelligence tests do not measure creativity or persistence, which are also important indicators of later success in life.
Benefits
Despite the criticism, intelligence tests are a predictor of how well or poorly your child will do in school in the coming grades. This means that if your child scores high on an IQ test, she can be placed in a more advanced program sooner and avoid the problems of boredom and restlessness caused by a lack of challenge. High scores can also be used by parents to justify placement of their children in "gifted" programs.
Types
The two most popular intelligence tests for kids are the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test, which is the oldest, and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. Although the tests use different designs, the National Association for Gifted Children website reports that there is a high correlation between test results. This means that if your child does well on one test, he will probably do well on the other.
Warnings
IQ tests are not an exact measurement of your child's intelligence. An "average" score is 90 to 109, but a child who scores 110, a single point higher, falls into the category of "high average." Many factors can influence a single test score: nervousness, disinterest in taking a test or even having a bad day. Depending on the different variables affecting your child on a given day, she might score in the high-average category one day and in the "superior" range the next.
