Gifted children aren't exempt from learning disabilities, head injuries, attentional problems, and emotional difficulties, however they are more challenging to understand and assess. Brody and Mills (1997) have described three groups of children whose disabilities and /or giftedness are likely to remain unrecognized.

First are students who are able to compensate for their difficulty through creative strategies and sheer intellect. The child's strength masks the difficulties. Sometimes a disability, such as dyslexia, becomes more apparent as in the later grades because the reading demands increase. Rather than considering the possibility of a dyslexia, schools tend to reconsider the giftedness label.

Second are students whose learning disabilities are severe enough to be noticed, but whose high ability is overlooked. These children may receive learning disability services but they may not be given opportunities for advanced academic work and their areas of giftedness may be ignored.

A third group of students are those whose gifts and disabilities blend, masking one another. These children often perform well below their potential, but at an average level for their grade. These children are rarely identified.

An understanding of a child's particular strengths and weaknesses can help in creating a clear picture and a clear plan - driving medical treatment, medication choices, as well as school and home based interventions.