Check aggressive kid for hyperactivity

Dear Doctor,

My first child is almost 5 years old and has a speech problem. He started speaking when he was around 2.5 years old. My son goes to private English pre-school. He likes to express himself in Indonesian mostly. He is in now in preschool, in is his fourth and last year.

He has difficulty in expressing himself like when he starts a sentence he says it twice or thrice turning around the words until he forms a correct sentence with the correct message he wants to convey.

Recently, he went to a speech therapist and it has helped him a lot. But he still cannot pronounce 'r' properly. And he keeps on mixing up certain letters like 'b' for 'd' and 'u' for 'w' and vice versa. Due to this he has been left behind by classmates.

Teachers cannot understand him even when he sits with me for studying after reviewing the whole alphabet from a-z. If asked about a certain letter he forgets how to write it.

His development in other skills such as playing, social and motor skills are good. He has less concentration in class and tends to get up from his seat often. In the classroom he ends up fighting with his friends because he sometimes disturbs them by pulling pranks like taking their things, pulling their hair etc. He will rarely listen to others.

I am really worried about him. The principal of the school is suggesting he repeat this school year. I do not want my child to have to waste a whole year, though.

Please advise me on the best way to help him and thank you.

--Tanuja

Dear Tanuja,

How your son is doing in the classroom is quite unusual for a 5-year-old. Does his doctor suspect ADHD (attention deficit)?

From your information I think your child is generally normal for his age, but it is better to see a psychiatrist or development psychologist to evaluate his hyperactive problem.

The school teacher will be the one who will evaluate him if he is ready to pass the class. Pushing him when he is not ready is not good. If you do not want your child to repeat his class, spend time with the teacher and you might come up with a better way to deal with him.

--Dr. Donya