4 1/2 year old "not feeling well"

[MaryAnnp]

My 4 1/2 year old son wakes up in a relatively good mood, brushes his teeth, dresses and eats breakfast with realitive ease.  As soon as I get his younger brother ready and prepare for us to go to school he complains that he does not feel well.  In September, he started a new Montessori program.  After this school he goes to a day care that he has attended for many years.  We do this four days a week as I am home on Friday.  I have observed him in school and he appears to have made many friends and his teacher said that he is doing fine.  

My husband and I have also noticed that he seems to be a bit on edge.  Lately, he has been extremely sensitive and has had his share of tantrums.  He has always been a shy and bit insecure child but it seems to be worse.  I have also noticed that he is biting his fingernails. Any suggestion?

[MaryAnnp]

I will try to get him to open up more.   There is Parent Teacher Day this week.  Maybe I can get more information from his teacher.  Thanks!

[aim7407]

Sound to me like it's going to school that might be the problem, if he feels great, then all of a sudden when the time to go to school draws nearer he gets a tummy ache and doesn't feel well. That to me says anxiety about something. Even though his teach says everything is fine, there might be something going on there, such as children bullying him? I don't know, but it sounds like he is just what you said, "on edge". Or perhaps, he's just acting out for some reason. I would say sit him down and talk to him heart to heart, maybe over some yummy ice cream or hot chocolate (more appropriate for winter I guess;-) .  Maybe you can get him to open up about what's upsetting him. Also, you never know but maybe he's getting a new kind of food at school that's he's allergic to? That's making him feel badly? But if he feels fine in the morning and then gets sick right before, that tells me he's probably nervous about going to school for some reason.  I would talk to him, and then his doctor , just to be sure.  Take care