been havign a rough year with 5 yo DS- need some advice

DS is going to be 5 in a couple of weeks. He had a little bit of a rough year in pre-k. he is EXTREMELY bright. BUT- has a huge temper, very short fuse, and loses it really fast. got many phone calls from his teacher that he got into fights, he doesn't listen. most of the time problems occurred during free play- he owudl get wild. I honestly think he may have been bored, even she said he was a different child during learning/activbity time. not that that excuses behavior!
anyhow, he has been evaluated, did nto get approved for any services at all. just said he is a really bright kid, short fuse, and doesn't always like ot play with others - he is perfectly content sometimes playing lego alone.
BUT- I really feel like I need ot take him to someone to help him learn how to manage his temper. I think I'm going to go privately, even if I have ot pay. his day camp actually called me today, he got physical with 4 different kids today. fwiw, hes rearely the instigator, btu if someone irritates/botehrs him, he will fight back and lose temper.

so- who do I take him to see? a child psych? I am in western Nassau, would really want someone local. any ideas?
any advice? sorry so long

been havign a rough year with 5 yo DS- need some advice

Hi - did the evaluation include an OT eval? It could be sensory related. I heard the same thing (bright, short fuse, etc) and waited it out (big mistake) - my DS was diagnosed with ODD and SPD.
Our pediatrician recommended NYU for child psych since we weren't really sure what we were dealing with, and while there are no services the school can offer for him, they do provide sensory breaks and behavioral and OT consults throughout the school year. BUT they would not have given us that without us having gone the private eval route.

Re: been havign a rough year with 5 yo DS- need some advice

Re: been havign a rough year with 5 yo DS- need some advice

You can disagree with the school's evaluations and request in writing they fund independent (private) educational evaluations... Once your child is in kindergarten and the issues arise, the school may be more responsive but I would send the requests in now so that they get started asap. You may also want to just go through your insurance if you can. If the school funds it they obviously will have access to it. Remember the key is in how well the report is written.

You may want to consider a full in depth neuro psych eval, as they can really pinpoint the domains of strength/weakness and can write very strong reports that may make it difficult for the school to ignore when it comes to modifications/services.

You can also go privately to an OT who specializes in sensory integration. A good OT can also teach your son self regulation strategies.

Perhaps you can look into social skills groups, and cognitive therapy (this is where the child learns to recognize his emotions and learns strategies to handle them)

The structure of kindergarten may work to your son's advantage since he tends to do well when he is actively engaged in an organized activity.

Re: been havign a rough year with 5 yo DS- need some advice

There's a significant wait time for an initial appt, but I cannot say enough good things about Cohen's.

I also think you need to trust your gut.

If you get in touch with Cohen's now, they probably will be able to see you around the time school has started anyway, so if there is something reported then, they can get you in quicker as an ongoing patient.