Your daughter started reading when she was three. She’s able to read any book you bring home. But she struggles over her math.

Both these children may be both gifted and learning disabled. The fact is that that schools alone can’t always give these kids all the support they need. Policies and legal regulations may also make it hard for gifted, learning disabled kids to get the help they need.

In Smart Kids With School Problems, Priscilla Vail suggests that these children need four things:

1. Coordination of support. Parents and teachers must work together to meet the needs of gifted, learning disabled children. If your child takes three hours on homework others finish in an hour, the teacher needs to know how much effort your child is putting in. If your child falls apart at home from the stress of each school day, the teacher needs to know that, too.

2. Evaluation of strengths and weaknesses. This should start the minute either the parent or the teacher thinks, “There’s something different about this kid.” That person should start a file with observations, questions and indications of learning differences. Specific information is most helpful. This file should also include test scores, work samples and report cards.

3. A way to anticipate school demands. Parents and teachers should try to anticipate learning problems. If fifth grade is the year when kids learn state capitals, and memorization is a challenge for a child, parents and teachers need to work together to figure out how to help the child meet the goal.

4. Learning style acceptance. All children learn in different ways. Gifted, learning disabled children can flourish if their needs are recognized and accommodated.

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