Please help!!!

Kay,

People like you make a difference in children's lives.  Keep on trying.  I agree, a neuropsych is probably best suited to make a diagnosis.  His mom will probably be told that he's too young to evaluate, but I would tell you to keep on encouraging her to find someone who will look at him.  Good luck and keep on caring, it is never wasted.

Thank you all so much!

I'm in the UK.  Unfortunately where I am within the UK the system appears to be failing some children, due to shortages of trained professionals.  My first port of call as a Day Care Worker has to be either my appointed Social Worker, or our Health Visitor.  It is very much a "pass the buck" attitude where I am.  I have already approached my social worker about it, and she passed the buck to the Health Visitor.  No doubt, when the health visitor appears, she will pass the buck also.

There is autism in this child's family.  Within our setting we have routines to offer the children the feeling of security, and to help encourage their independence.  This little boy does not seem to become upset at routine changes (eg if we decide to go to park at short notice, have snack later etc). 

I think I am just so peeved with the system over here, I don't know what way to turn to help this wee fella. 

As stated Mum is really not keen on Health Visitors.  Should I try to approach some other professional.  I just am in the dark as I don't know what to do.....nobody seems to want to help him....

Yes we do have a policy on behaviour, it allows us to remove the child from setting.  I don't want to do it - it's a last resort.  This little fella could be taken elsewhere and they won't care and see this as simply bad behaviour.  Many day cares run with minimum staff;child ratio.  We have enough staff to give this child 1:1 care.

I am a great believer in inclusive education where possible, so removing him is my absolute last resort.

Thanks for all your help!!

Kay

Hello - I do hope you can help me.  I work in a Day Care Centre and we have a child within our care who is 2.5 years.  He started Nursery around 9 months ago, and we have had many difficulities with his behaviour. When comparing him with all the other children of his age, I notice many differences in his expected behaviour.  I am aware children of this age have great difficulty in sharing, however something just "differs" with this child.

He never finishes tasks (frequently paints a picture then rips it up), cannot appear to sit at a table to do set tasks, unable to sit for a story and constantly gets up and fidgets all the time.  He seems to walk, half running (a look of purpose on his face).  When we speak to him, he doesn't appear to listen, and we find it hard to get him to look at us.

His behaviour at times can be extremely disruptive, scratching, grabbing children around the throat, pushing children to the ground etc etc. All other children in the nursery are frightened of him and continually ask us "Why is he bad all the time.  I don't like it when he hits me". We use a time out approach with him and other children.

He has good days and bad days.  His attention is generally well below the expected level for his age and as a childcare worker, comparing him with other children of his age he appears quite different in behaviour and attention span.

His good days can be good, with no pushing, hitting etc.  However he still snatches toys, and has a very limited attention span when completing tasks.  When the child finds something that he really enjoys (eg we brought a policeman into the setting to talk to the children and he was fascinated and never moved!) his attention is good. 

We have also placed another member of staff in the room to work on a one to one basis with him.  We have seen improvement (more good days than bad), however the improvement is limited.

I have such a soft spot for this child as he can be so loving.  I have spoken to the parents regarding my concerns and Mum has agreed to let me call in our Health Visitor for advice. Behaviour is the same at home as in setting and he frequently scratches and smacks his baby brother.

 This visit from Health Visitor was asked for months ago, and as yet we have not had a visit despite phoning most weeks reminding them.  Mum is not a "great believer" in Health Visitors and they seem reluctant to become involved.   Mum has assured me that both nursery and home are following the same approach regarding how we deal with the behaviour. I worry that I am failing this child in how I am handling him, and also that if he goes into the education system, he will be failed.

Could this be ADHD?  How can I help this child?

You all appear to know a great deal more than me, and would be grateful for your advice.

Thanks

kay

Kay,

You sound like such a caring day care provider.  This child is lucky to have you on his side.

I'm afraid there's no way we can diagnose this child over the internet.  I'm guessing from your post that you live in Great Britain (possibly Australia?).  At least here in the United States, when parents suspect a problem, they bring their children to neuropsychologists, or sometimes child psychiatrists, for diagnosis and recommendations for proper intervention.  I encourage you to urge this child's mother to seek comparable help in your country.  Without an accurate diagnosis, there is no way anyone will be able to help this child properly.

Good luck!  Please let us know what happens.

Kay,

Thank you for being such a caring day care provider!  We should all be so lucky as to have someone like you care for our children.

To answer your question, yes, this could be adhd.  But it could be a lot of other things as well.  My son has ADD and his symtoms at that age were more that he had a hard time adjusting to change.  Any change.  So I have no expereince at all with the symptoms that you are sharing. 

One thing I do want to say is that all you can do it lead the horse to water so to speak.  In other words you can do all that is withon your power to do, but ultimately it is mum that has to take the initiative and seek help for her own son.  If she is anything like me she has no idea that when care givers say that her son is this way or that way that he really is that different.  It took my son starting school and me seeing him in the school environment for me to recognize that he really is different.  Not just unique, but different.  I mean he was my first child and so I had no idea what normal development was.  I just thought he was a little quirky.  But it was just how he was. 

I guess that I would keep pushing for the Health Visitor and just pateintly keep trying to give mum the information that she needs to recognize that her child may need some intervention.

I hope that helps a little.