I need some help...

I have a 5 year old son that I am very worried about.  I started him in preschool at the age of 3.  He was sent home every day withing 1 hour max of being there.  He is now in Kindergarten and they behaviors are getting worse.  He destroys the classroom by taking everything off the shelves, throwing objects, hitting, kicking, biting etc.  I have to pick him up everyday from school.  He is right on schedule with writing his name, numbers, knows 24 cite words, his abc, etc.  He also does not have friends at school and would rather be by himself at home.  He stays up all night long so that he can be alone and watch tv and plays his educational cd's on the computer.  I am very worried about him.  He loves me one minute and then hates me the next,  I am emotionally exhausted.  I have 2 other children and work full time.  Someone please help and give me some guidance on what to do.

[Eileen Roscoe, PhD]

Given the description you’ve provided, I recommend having your son assessed by a professional with experience diagnosing individuals with autism. Pediatricians often have little experience making these diagnoses and are, in most cases, not the best person to be making them. The types of problem behavior that you describe are often observed in children with autism diagnoses, most often due to deficits in their communication skills.
In addition to having your son assessed by someone with expereience diagnosing individuals with autism, I also recommend seeking treatment for his problem behavior regardless of the diagnoses. Find a behavior analyst in your area who has treated behavior of this sort before. For children like your son who don’t have concomitant intellectual delays, these behaviors can be very effectively treated by teaching him appropriate ways to communicate his wants and needs. For example, preferred activities, such as tv and games on the computer, can be provided following appropriate on-task behavior at school and at home.