Episode 119: Q&A - I Noticed Sudden Behavioral and Physical Changes in My 5-Yr-Old Son. What Should I Do?

This weeks question is from Rosa,   "I’m very concerned about my 5-year-old son. For the past 3 weeks, he has changed his behavior to the point where he doesn't want to go to school, says he's having nightmares, doesn't want to sleep alone, has eyes ‘shaking’, a funny stomach and he's complaining that his eyes hurt. I'm worried.  He has never had these issues before. He did have some kind of flu illness about 3 weeks ago, and 2 weeks ago, he started in-person school. I don't know if those things are related or not, but I need to do something to help him.” In this episode, I will address a few things that might be going on here. There could be some psychological and/or physiological components to this sudden behavior change. It could stem from the illness she describes, from the anxiety of starting school, or both.  I’ll give her some tips on how to talk to her son about what she’s noticing and how to address these issues depending on where they stem from. It’s important to help kids develop coping skills, keep new activities to a minimum while they regulate, and keep an eye on their eating habits and sleep.  And finally, I’ll explain why it’s important to discuss this with the child’s teacher. I hope many parents find this example and these tips helpful!  You can submit a question by emailing us at [email protected] with the subject line "Podcast Question." Connect with Dr. Nicole Beurkens on... Instagram Facebook Drbeurkens.com