How can I control my seven-year-old child?

Bereaved child

My child is nervous about going to the toilet

Question

I find it impossible to control my seven-year-old son. I have put him on certain diets with a dietician's advice and there seems to be no change.

I am so worried because he swears, becomes aggressive and finds it hard to control himself and think about the consequences of his actions.

He is a profoundly deaf boy who wears hearing aids, which doesn't help with his frustrations. He is very hard to cope with and calm down.

He is in a mainstream school. Academically, he is doing well but does still have problems with social behaviour. This has gone on for four years now - will he ever change?

Answer

Yes, you do need help. There are a number of possible issues impacting on this problem.

Your first steps should be to ask the school what they think. If they agree that he has behavioural difficulties, they can refer him to the child health doctors and, if necessary, to specialist psychologists.

If this doesn't resolve things, I'd try your GP next and ask for a referral to a paediatrician. I do think your son can be helped, but I don't think just waiting for it to go away is the best approach.

There is help available and you should ask for it. I don't think food is likely to be the cause of the problem, so I'm not surprised that that route has failed to produce results for you.

Yours sincerely

Dr Bob Leckridge, GP

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