I've been an occasional visitor to this site to read the "mood" in mumsnetland from time to time. I was forced to register as I now feel an urgent need to seek the help and advice of you mums on here to help me in my plight.
My son is in year 2 in a lovely infant school but has really since nursery, failed to fit in properly at school. He has done all sorts of strange and unsocial things over the years that has made his teachers and Head Teacher very concerned from time to time. He is very anti-social and will mainly play alongside other pupils but not with them. He talks to himself when playing. He has no firm friends at school so no party invites, etc. He fidgets alot on the magic carpet at reading time, etc. I've had to teach him to read as he was not getting much help at school, his handwriting is bad and I'm now spending 30mins each day getting him to copy text to try and address this issue, he does not maintain eye contact and seems not to hear when called. We've been to hospital for tests on this and his hearing seems perfect so they think it's behavioural i.e. he chooses to ignore people. Also, he plays the voilin quite well and likes to sing! He's also very gentle and quite affectionate so he's really lovely but I'm tearing my hair out over this. Incidentally, his older brother is the complete opposite, very bright, musical, sporty, popular with lots of friends, nearly perfect! Please mums, MY QUESTION IS should I get him privately assessed and by whom so I know for sure if he has or hasn't got dyslexia, dispraxia, or anything else.