Short-Fused Child

Inconsistency is Short-Fused Child’s middle name. He may be happy and content for days straight and then—bam!—he becomes angry and has meltdown after meltdown. His parents are never quite sure what tips the apple cart.

When Short-Fused is angry, it affects his entire family. His parents say he picks fights with his brother and sister and can be destructive around the house, throwing and breaking things.  He gets angry when he’s asked to do things around the house and when he does what he’s told, he does it quickly and sloppily. He’s always in high gear and appears to have the need for speed.  His parents say he’s not concerned about outcomes and his sloppy work gets him in trouble at school. He often passes in incomplete assignments and his teachers are concerned he’s not working to his full potential. Short-Fused doesn’t like writing and hates art class.

His parents can’t remember any atypical events during his infancy or early childhood, but said learning something new was always difficult for Short-Fused. He gets frustrated easily and gives up easily. They said he is always trying to find the quickest and easiest way to do everything. He loves playing baseball and is good at running bases, but he gets frustrated when he misses plays or when the coach gives him helpful hints out on the field.

His parents recently signed him up for a martial arts class, thinking it would be good for him. He liked the first couple of sessions, but he quit after the third, saying he wanted to stick to baseball. His parents have noticed he’s spending more time playing video games with his friends lately and hanging out in the neighborhood when he should be doing homework. His parents are afraid he’ll get expelled from school.