Hi,
Please bear with me, this may be a bit of a long one. I’ve never asked advice before but I’m finding a definite lack of support at the moment.
My youngest, who is 6 has been referred to the community Peadatrician by our GP. The school recommended I take him in to discuss his behaviour. I’d really like some advice from people who have possibly been in a similar situation with similar behaviours and really what goes on at a community Peadatric appointment. I know he’s different and he’s really struggling at the moment and the worse thing I did was google it.
He has been suspended from school 4 times in the past year. He really struggles in the classroom and will just run out and climb fences etc. He’s told me there is to many children in the classroom and he doesn’t ‘feel’ anything he just wants to be out of there. This has resulted in him not intergrating in the classroom and is way behind his peers. He loves colouring in and is a great problem solver but will not even attempt reading.
Even at family events where there is a room full of people he will keep away. At my brothers wedding he spent the majority of the time under the table. Even birthday parties he will spend the entire time with the parents.
He never wants any comfort either, if he’s hurt himself he takes himself off and hits out if I or anyone else try’s to comfort him. I manage this well at home but it’s not so well managed at school. Also if he’s forced into doing something he will also hit out and become quite violent. Even as a baby he wasn’t cuddly and had failure to thrive. He is just in the healthy weight range now but he’s very active.
He also has an obsession with balls- footballs, basketballs, baseballs literally all types of balls. He sleeps with one and has a shelf made in his bedroom specifically for balls. He has been obsessed with them since he was around 6 months old. We went away for the weekend and didn’t bring one which resulted in a huge meltdown and we had to go and get a ball.
He doesn’t pick up on social cues either. He can’t distinguish when someone is joking or being serious. I have to pull him aside and speak very directly to him. He’s also quite direct and can be quite rude sometimes. He talks about killing himself to go and see granny in heaven and I genuinely don’t think he gets it, I’d put it down to age but he will continue to talk about killing himself or that he wants to die on a daily basis.
He’s also said he wants to set fire to things, like when he grows up he wants to buy a house and then burn it down to watch the fire.
He does make eye contact and will continually do staring contests. He’s happy to give me a hug and a kiss and is loving when he wants to be. He also doesn’t know his own strength, he high 5’s people (including strangers) and they really hurt.
He is also obsessed with bums and talks about it all the time no matter how many times I’ve told him how inappropriate it is.
There is so much more but I’d be here forever, i just don’t know if I’m making a mountain out of a molehill or if I’m right about being concerned about his behaviour. Ask any advice on his appointment at Peadatrics would be great.
So sorry about the mammoth post, it’s the first time I’ve reached out.