i am desperately hoping someone can advise me as to what to do for my 8 year old. this is long winded so i hope omeone reads it and can help.
since he was about 2 we noticed a behavoural difference in him when he had high/bright coloured food. his moods would swing and he would quite literally be unable to stop talking. his mind would be racing. this was an easy one to solve as we just removed coloured food from his diet, and as times changed manufactours became aware of parents concerns and started using natural colours.
when he started nursery he was settled and happy. then one day his teacher mentioned that his emotions were up and down. one day he would be happy and friendly and the next he would be a nightmare.
other behaviour started to become apparent too. he wouldnt sleep, not a case of he wouldnt go to bed, just being completely unable to sleep. sometimes he would be awake until 1am and then rise again at 5am. by the time he was 5 he was only getting maybe 4 hours sleep a night. then he started to be almost defiant with his behaviour. for example one day we were in a carpet shop when he climbed on one of the rolls, i told him to get down and he did, then he climbed back on 3 more times. by the 4th time i took hold of his hand got down to his level and told him not to do it, then whilst holding my hand he climbed it! he didnt have a look of defiance on his face though, it was just almost like he hadnt regisitered me the first 4 times!
from the age of about 3 when i started using time out, he has never been bothered. nothing phases him. at 3 i could sit him on the step and tell him to stay there, mot 3 year olds would argue or cry or throw and tantrum. jamie didnt. he would sit there and wait for the time to be oer and then would get up and walk away without a word. as he's got older i have taken away treats and privaliages without him batting an eyelid. i have emptied his room of everything but his bed and clothes and he still wasnt bothered. jamie doesnt understand action-reaction at all either.
all these things sound so trivial on there own and most people say oh that normal for a 3,4 ,5 year old etc, but i am now at my wits end.
today i had a phone call from the school, explaining that jamie's behaviour has led to him being on report. he isnt a terribley naughty boy, just not listening or being silly etc in class, but yesterday his teacher told him 15 times in one day to stop messing around. i am heartbroken. the school just think he is messing around and being defiant, i know something is wrong, but everytime i talk to the teachers, health visitors or gp they all say it is normal behaviour.
the very sad thing is that jamie is a very clever little boy and his teachers all say if he applied himself he would be well ahead of himself, but atm he is being held back by his behaviour and lack of passion for his work.
i know how to deal with each indvidual thing ie removing colourants, rewards for good beahviour etc, but i need someone to relise that something isnt right.