Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Developmental Pediatrician

About 1.5 months ago, I had a word with Reese's teacher concerning his behaviour at school. It stills baffle us why he refuse to join group time (since beginning of school last year!). We had tried everything and it didn't worked. So now during group time, he will do his drawing instead (He has his own set of markers and A3 paper at school). Teachers at school can't get him to sit down and learn with them. Very rarely he will sit with them to do any work! Yet he learns by simply observing and listening while playing! Teachers also said that he is not fitting in well socially. He whines with shouts and tantrums (very exaggerated kind) at the slightest thing. He disturbs his friends with the cheekiest smile! *sigh* just so that he gets to see the kind of reaction from his teachers. Thank God he is not the aggressive type. The head teacher said the most, after a few months they will be able to get a child to obey them and work with them but not Reese. So the head teacher concluded that we should take him for an evaluation and see whether he is really a gifted child and if so, at least they will equip themselves to handle him and help him to fit in with other children. Sound serious huh? *sigh*

So happened when Reese was down with that viral fever, we spoke to our pediatrician about it and was recommended to see a developmental pediatrician. She said, if he is really gifted, we should intervene early to help him fit into society better else when he grows up, it will be more difficult. She said gifted children will find it more difficult to interact with their peers due to more advance intelligence.

So made a call to the one and only developmental pediatrician practicing privately and guess what? Waiting list to see her is 5 months! Crazy! We are told that it's going to be expensive too.
So at the mean time, will try to get him to behave better at school and wait.

Honestly, to me, Reese is very normal. Maybe at school the teachers were too nice to him? They are never strict and children are always given choices. They do not force them. I strongly feel that Reese is merely taking advantage of them and bullies them! My other option is to take him to another school for a trial or something like that and see whether I get the same kind of feedback from teachers. But my only reason for him to attend school is for social interaction! It's alot of hassle going around looking for another kindy and I am really not keen about it and don't want to spent too much on fees. He is learning at home with me and so far, we are having fun and he is learning so much.

Actually I am a little reluctant to take Reese to see the doc simply because we felt that he is normal even though the teachers seems to think otherwise. After much thinking, we will go ahead because we also want a formal confirmation on his giftedness. So far, we are guessing only.

Yesterday afternoon, after my class with a student (same age with Reese) they started playing and Reese was telling him about earthquakes destroying the town (pretend play with his blocks) then how tsunami waves swept the houses and buildings away (all the while using his blocks to illustrate his point) and how these buildings became debris (Reese uses big words).....etc... my student just looked at him blankly and not interested. Upon seeing this, I realized that my son is indeed advance and constantly talking about things that are way beyond his age. Could this be a problem at school? Getting bored is one thing, but not having friends who are on par with him could cause him to be alienated? *sigh*

5 comments:

LittleLamb said...

I have a friend. His name is Alvin Ng. Perhaps he can help. You can go to facebook n look up for him at my friends list. I m sure he can give you some suggestions n feedback.

MeRy said...

From what you wrote on your blog..it seem your boy is normal and maybe you should get the teacher to handle him firmly to get him involve in the group activity.
When my son first joined nursery, he also refused to join the group of friends, he like to be alone doin his own thing..but it takes him months to really get used to the environment.

A gift from God said...

Mery,

We have tried handling him firmly but it didn't work in fact, he refused to go to school for a while!

Your son took some months... my son *sigh* more than a year now and still didn't work. :)

Ann said...

I think it is because you all talk to him alot. And Reese is thus exposed to alot of stuff and experiences.

Maybe if he joins the older group in the school, he might be better. He may already know all his other peers are doing and thus act up.

A gift from God said...

Ann,

Reese's school is unlike other school. There are about 13 to 14 kids and they are of ages 3-6. There is only 1 class room with 4 teachers. These children all play and learn together in the same room. So Reese is mixing with all ages.