Often, in our society and in our educational systems, there are approximately 3 million gifted children in the United States of America - representing "approximately 6% of the student population" - are neglected and do not receive the guidance they need to thrive in today's world. These exceptionally gifted children may be classified as children with “special needs…not covered by federal disability laws.” To meet these special needs, parents and teachers must understand how these children function and how to manage their ups and downs. For starters, a vital part of gifted children is between their ears. At age 7, children with higher IQs (121-145) have a thinner layer of cortex in their brain and reach their maximum thickness much later (age 12 versus 8 or 9 for average and above average children ), then mature more quickly than other people's brains. A possible explanation for why this pattern of brain development occurs is to provide a larger window of opportunity for the brain to grow and develop other parts of the brain more fully by delaying the development of the prefrontal cortex. Gifted minds work a little differently than other people's brains. Brock and Fernette Eide described the gifted brains they studied using functional brain magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) as “brains on fire.” They were described this way because brain scans showed "bright red flames of high metabolic activity [that] erupted all over the scan." fMRI measures brain activity “by detecting changes in oxygenation and blood flow that occur in response to neuronal activity.” In addition to this brain activity in the brain, a study from the UC Irvine College of Medicine found that "intelligence levels are correlated with the amount...... middle of paper ...... uh , and are facilitated in the application. their skills and learning higher levels of thinking. Learning alongside others at their level, as well as regular lessons, can help children grow; although alternative options exist. Testing and qualifying for these programs, as well as funding them, can be difficult, but can be a major asset to these children's futures. In conclusion, gifted and talented children have special needs because every child has specific needs. . However, the nature of this need demands that action be taken to help the millions of children performing above average thrive in their learning. How these children's brains work may reveal how they grow and how they might receive advice. Gifted children are in no way superior to others; they might just need an extra challenge for their enthusiastic minds.