I was more referring to him not being challenged by the school system.
Socially - surely one could find online smart individuals to talk with, about common interests, and I'm sure he wouldn't care so much about the age gap. People with interest in computer graphics, programming, and/or mathematics contact me routinely, and I am not even particularly visible. Some are just interested kids. Dunno what his interests are though. edit: if he has a hobby, he could met other smart individuals through it. He can participate in some contests - now with the internet one can do it worldwide - though contests are kind of a distraction.
Yes, finding smart individuals is the goal of this post, and it appears that he has people who aren't his age to talk to.
However, real-life (i.e. meat) friends of a similar age (and similar intellectual ability & background) are probably the most important friends: for young people, an age gap of 2 or 3 or 4 years can mean a huge gulf in experience and physical development; so that they will always be the "baby" of the group, even if they are intellectual equals. This means that things like, for example, dating and sex don't really work (maybe not particularly important for the kid in question right now, but it is likely to be more relevant in a few years).
I'm friends with an incredibly smart kid. He's 14, but has been put up three grades in school at one point. He does all the obvious enrichment things which are available in the relatively small Australian city he lives in.
His life experience has been pretty unusual. He doesn't really know what it's like to be challenged in school. All his friends are way older than he is. (Once, I asked him how being constantly around people older than him made him feel. He replied, "Concerned for my future.")
He doesn't know anyone like him, which I think is a shame: he'd probably get along very well with them.
Does anyone know any similar kid geniuses? If so, can I give them my friend's details?
Thanks.