Anxiety and Stress Disorders (Children)

Violent child / Nice child

05/05/2008 05:40PM

Question:

I read another question from late summer (2007) from a preschool professional that was having trouble with one of the kids being violent. That child sounds very similar to what my nephew is experiencing.
My newphew is four. He has a problem that has resulted in him getting thrown out of three preschools. He has hit and kicked teachers, choked other children, bites others, scratches, etc. He does require a lot of attention and is quite a handful to be around. He is a very bright boy who learns extremely quickly. He can be very kind too. It just seems that he can quickly turn on people and thinks nothing of it. My sister has a team of professionals assembled, but in rural Wyoming the variety of people that can help him is very limited. Where can my sister turn to get help for her son?

Answer:

Studies have found that aggressive behavior in preschoolers may be related to underlying attention deficit hyperactivity disorder which has not been diagnosed or treated. I would think that even in rural areas, resources would include a local community mental health center.

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Response by:

Floyd R. Sallee, MD
Professor
Department of Psychiatry
College of Medicine
University of Cincinnati