5 yr old boy sad and crying

by Mr Steven
(UK)

Question: Please could you give me some advice. We are becoming worried about our 5 yr old boy who for 2 weeks now, seems frequently sad - like he's having negative thoughts - and cries easily at things, some rational and some irrational. e.g. if he can't find a toy, or he's worried some other boy might take one of his possessions.

If he was an adult I would guess he was suffering from stress related nervousness. Its almost like he is having a mini mental breakdown.
is this possible in a 5 yr old?
He is also falling over frequently when he plays with the other kids in the playground. and has several cuts and grazes on his face and knees.
at school he is one of the younger kids in his class and therefore less developed academically than some others, but his overall performance seems average.

He also gets very frustrated when trying to read and write.
We are thinking of testing him for dyslexia and dyspraxia.
Many thanks,

Answer: Getting him tested for a learning disability is a great idea. The stress of trying to learn when there is an undetected learning disability can be overwhelming for a child, especially at 5 years old.

Also pay attention to any other environmental stresses that you can identify. This may be a new move, a new kid in the classroom that could be bullying him, a new baby in the home or one parent working a lot more than usual (more frequent work trips even).

However, with the noticeable stress when he is learning to read or write I think you are headed in the right direction by getting him tested. I know one young girl that was always stressed to the point of pulling her hair out and after realizing she had a learning disability this stopped.

If you discover this is not the case, I would take him to a psychologist. Some children just need a professional to observe and discover what's bothering them. Good Luck!