5 Year Old Wont Talk to Friends at school...SENSORY ISSUES??

My eldest son, 16 years old now, went through the same problems when he started kindergarden. It was a k/1 cluster double room with 4 teachers and he would sometimes crawl under a table and put his hands over ears. At that time teachers blamed his behavior on me saying I was abusing him. Took him to a pediatric neurologist and he was diagnosed with sensory issues and aspergers syndrome, which ia a high functioning form of autism. years of occupational therapy and he was a presidential award winner for academic excellence in elementary and middle school. All honor and AP classes in high school.He is a junior now whois going on to college. Donot give up hope. You are the only advocate for your child. Demand and IEP and the school will give him all the therapies needed. Just threaten due process and they will run to begin testing. They just want to keep costs down in district so they make parents work for it. Get your child diagnosed and slap papers on principals desk. These children are brilliant.

If you don't get the information you need email me and I can probably get you intouch with some people. My sister has experience with sensory issues, and a boy who was in my little ones preschool was diagnosed with sensory issues. I think your boys are about a year apart in age.

I could recommend a couple good books on Sensory Ingegration Disorder. I did some reading on this topic because my son has "sensory issues". There's lots that can be done to help your son feel & adjust better (i.e. occupational therapy). Also talk to your pediatrician because s/he could refer you to a O.T. for an evaluation.

Educating yourself on the topic is always a good place to start. Here's 2 books I have:

"The Everything Parent's Guide to Sensory Integration Disorder" by Terri Mauro

"The Out of Sync Child", by Carol Stock Kranowitz (she has other books too)

Good Luck!

So is he is preK? If he is, I would contact the early childhood program in WC and ask them when their next screening is? If they are finished for the year, ask them if you could set up your own screening with them and state your concerns.

You need to insist the school do an evaulation with their special services team. He sounds so much like my son - who was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome when he was 10 - but the teachers noticed difference in his social interactions when he was in kindergarten.

Please check out Tony Atwood's book and web site on Asperger's syndrome.

M. H. in Elk grove Vlg.

Hi K.,
My son Roland who is also 5 has had the same issues since he was 2. Many told us too he would outgrow it but I persisted to have him evaluated by the state. He had speech delays, issues with motor planning, fear of transitions and changes, and lots of issues socially. Early intervention and the early childhood program in our school district the last 2 years has helped ALOT. He is going into kindergarten with "the masses" this August. He has always had the sensory portion and was diagnosed with SPD by an OT. We had him medically evaluated and he was diagnosed with PDD-NOS which puts him on the autism spectrum but high functioning. Getting the medical diagnosis has opened and will remain open alot of doors for our son. Without help, this becomes a self esteem issue as well - sounds like your son is heading in that direction. Seek help thru your school district and your pediatrician. Our doctor recommended a pediatric neurologist for the medical eval.
Good luck!
S. in Lisle

Has his teacher brought up her concerns to the multidisciplinary team at the school? If not, request a multidsicplinary conference meeting to discuss your son's difficulties. Also, call the school social worker (or school psychologist), talk about your concerns and ask for their guidance in navigating the process of figuring out the best way to help your son. The school social worker is able to intervene to help your son with his social and coping skills...usually through a small "friendship group" during the school day. The types of behaviors you described most likely will not be "solved" by retention to Kindergarten. Good luck.

As a teacher in the near by area and having dealt with 5 year old children with sensory issues you definitely want to intervene now! If the school is mentioning the problems then run with it. Public schools don't like to mention problems because then they are responsible for implementing a plan (IEP) and getting him extra help that is needed through occupational therapy, physical therapy and social workers. Push the school district for everything your son is entitled to. He really needs for you to be his advocate and early intervention is the best thing. You can have him evaluated privately through your own medical insurance and present that as further evidence to the school. Even if he is evaluated to rule out sensory issues it is best to start NOW! I hope this information is helpful and I do not mean to scare you but time is of the essence if he is experiencing difficulties.

I recommend that you read up on selective mutism and see if your son may fit the criteria. If so, follow up with a child psychologist is strongly recommended to help manage the anxiety so he can be more comfortable.

Some resources include
http://www.selectivemutism.org/
http://www.selectivemutismfoundation.org/