100 Words of Wisdom: Marianne Kuzujanakis

100 Words of Wisdom, Social & Emotional Development

Giftedness should be understood by what it is not: gifted children aren’t uniformly advanced, mature, or similar in interests, goals, or humor, nor confined by gender, race, or class. They are passionate, original, and inspiring, and require recognition and support to thrive.

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It’s imperative to recognize giftedness for what it is NOT. Gifted children are not always advanced in all areas, nor are they all mature and studious rule-followers. Gifted children do not all share similar interests, goals, or even a sense of humor. Gifted children do not all thrive in similar educational settings, nor are they limited by a specific gender, race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. Gifted children ARE passionate, original, and inspiring human beings who often deeply touch the lives around them. The emotional need of gifted children to be recognized and supported for who they are is instrumental to their existence. Have you hugged your gifted child today?

Marianne Kuzujanakis, MD, MPH

Marianne Kuzujanakis is a pediatrician with long-standing interests in parent and clinician education. She is a co-founder of the SENG Misdiagnosis Initiative aiming to increase public and healthcare awareness for giftedness, 2e, and medical misdiagnosis. She received her medical training in Memphis, TN (Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and the University of Tennessee Medical Center), more recently receiving an AHRQ Pediatric Health Services Research Program fellowship and master of public health degree in Boston, MA (Harvard School of Public Health, Boston Children’s Hospital). In between, Dr. Kuzujanakis served as a hospitalist, and then as the director of the outpatient department of a children’s teaching hospital. The majority of her medical career has been in primary care practice in Massachusetts, having regularly dedicated a portion of her time as a clinical instructor, both through Harvard Medical School and also as the course director of a local clinician-training program for practicing pediatricians. Presently, Dr. Kuzujanakis focuses on being the homeschool educator for her gifted teen and being a resource in homeschooling and gifted communities.

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