5 year old using fingers as "guns" when mad

[JJMom16]

I received an email from my son's pre-k teacher that he has been using his fingers as "guns" when he gets mad. He is being treated for ADHD by a child psychiatrist, and is taking Ritalin and an SSRI (the Dr. thinks he may have anxiety.)

Any recommendations on how to manage this type of behavior? We are also working with a therapist, but none of this seems to be helping. I feel so lost as a parent. We did not see this type of behavior until he started pre-k. We have no history of ADHD in our family.

[Onthemove1971]

Thanks for your question.. There are so many things our son did when he was young that made me worry he would not be successful in life... That is not the case. It is great you guys are working with a therapist and working on finding the correct medication.

Just curious have you discussed why he does this with him and where he learned about it..

It might provide some insight( you may have already done this, sorry-smile). I wonder if you could find some other way for him to express his anger. If he sits at a desk, maybe tape something he picks under the desk and he could rub it.. Sometimes asking him what would work for him or what object would help him.

If you have not yet, I recommend that you try to set up an IEP or 504 plan and you can ask that his be addressed in it.

Hope this advice helps. The idea is replace the negative action with something positive. Hope you guys find medication that helps him deal with this.

Good luck.

[JJMom16 in reply to Onthemove1971]

This is good advice. His teacher said it is happening when they assign seats for circle time (they used to get to pick their own, and this frustrates him), and occasionally when playing if he is negotiating the rules of a game. I'm less freaked out now that I know when it's happening. I hadn't considered replacing a negative action with a positive. Maybe giving him a fidget during circle time would help.

[Onthemove1971 in reply to JJMom16]

These all seem like times he wants to be in control. Has he made any friends in the class yet? Sometimes they sit on plastic dots or carpet squares maybe you can have the teacher say privately, see if he would like to sit next to someone or sit on a certain color.. Hope you can brainstorm with the teacher to avoid this, I am sure she doesn't want this behavior also. I am sure this is just a phase that will pass..

Good luck.