He has recently started being upset when I leave him at pre-school (he's 5 in May). From the minute he wakes up he constantly asks me if his friend, L, will be at school. He asks again and again and if I say no, or I don't know, he cries and screams lots and says he won't go to school. When we get there we usually arrive a bit earlier than L and DS cries and fidgets and asks where L is constantly. His classmates try to be kind but he tells them that they are not his friends and turns his back on them, crying. Until L arrives he sobs and says he wants to come home and be with me. His teacher has started giving him a small object to hold in his hand to occupy him, I guess. She gets his cushion, which helps him sit more still on the carpet and if L comes he stops crying. If he doesn't he howls and I go and he stops after a few mins. apparently.
He was doing this before but recently he had been a lot better - not constantly asking re. L and twice didn't cry when L wasn't there. I handle it by reassuring him, and saying that he will be okay without L and manages really well when he doesn't come. I also reward him when I hear he hasn't cried or because he's stopped crying - stickers etc. How would you handle this behaviour?
I'm finding it difficult and distressing and wearing. Is this unusual, this almost obssession with one friend to the exclusion of others. He plays alongside others okay. Do you think it sounds Asperger-y. Could this all be part of dyspraxia?
We are seeing the paed. soon and Inclusion Support are assessing at the mo. I'm just finding it all a bit disheartening right now, when I see all his peers achieving things at school and parents being told lots of positive things and I usu. get told how he sat well on his cushion or something like that - I know that's ggod, but I just can't help wishing life was easier for him. Sorry to go on.