Normal 5yo behaviour or something else?

[Uhoh2020]

I have 3 DS, youngest age 5 is different/ harder than the older 2 were. He is behind academically especially reading and writing, it just doesn't sink in with him. Eg he could sound out c a t and then say dog, or he guesses at sounds. His peers are writing sentences he can just about write his name. His writing is often mirror writing too. He struggles to concentrate in class and Is often distracted. It's the same at home when trying to read or do homework i spend more time bringing him back to task than actually doing any of it.
Opposite to that he loves watching films and can re tell a whole film, if we watch a film twice he will tell us what happens next.

Temper tantrums and meltdowns can be brought on by absolutely anything, his sandwiches cut into squares not triangles, clothes not pre heated,any change to anything he normally does. I can rarely bring him out of it, I try speaking softly calmly reassuring lots of hugs. He can often lash out hitting scratching kicking or tries to destroy whatever is around him.

It seems he is always shouting when talking, I'm forever telling him to lower his voice we are in the same room no need to shout.

Very limited diet, sandwiches, crackers, beans on toast, occasionally pasta. He does like fruit and yoghurts.

I could go on forever about him really.
He is really hard work, relentless even. Is he just a normal 5yo?

[AladdinMum]

I do think you have valid concerns - his mirror writing, food sensitivities, ritualistic behaviour, etc are concerning for his age and specially as they are all happening at the same time. Do you remember how he was with his major milestones before the age of two? talking, crawling, walking, showing/giving, pointing, etc.

[Uhoh2020]

All major milestones hit no problem. Since he has returned to school (only 5 in his class) his teachers have commented on how much his talking has improved, not in terms of speech as that's fine but in terms of hes communication. He was very shy and quiet at the start of the school year. I'm torn between thinking he was either too overwhelmed with a lot of people around or he just didn't have a clue what was going on around him.

[Uhoh2020]

He cant let go of things either, few examples, he prefers to colour in with a black felt tip if he cant find it he goes mad and cant then settle until we have found it or I have ran to the shop and bought another pack of pens or he did a drawing in school he wanted to bring home at the end of the day they couldn't find it he came out of school grumpy and angry and didn't stop asking for his picture all night.

[ArabSprings]

Hi OP, has your DS’s school mentioned anything at all? If they don’t have any concerns then try not to be too worried. It may be that he needs to mature a little that’s all. However it wouldn’t hurt to get an opinion from the school SENCO? Have you spoken to them at all?

[Uhoh2020]

@ArabSprings no not really spoken to his teacher as since hes been back we've not been able to speak to his teachers properly with the SD measures in place it's been a quick handover. Parents evening should of happened the week after school closed for lockdown so probably they would have raised any problems then.
I'll just have to see how he gets on in September, hes keeping the same teacher for next term so at least they will know what hes like