Q: My four years old child has reached his developmental milestones in advance. We find it really hard to put him to sleep as he never wants to shut his eyes, is always curious to explore, and wakes up at the slightest sound. When he was one and a half years old, he gained some words, showed lots of interest in shapes, colours, alphabets and a great crunch for numbers. But when he turned two years, we had a bit concern as he was not talking in sentences though he had good vocabulary. He listens to me and follows my instructions at home. But he is kind of stubborn who thinks very clearly and sometimes we find it hard to manage him. Can I change his behaviour / make him socialise with others?

A:Your child seems to have been an early starter, ahead of his age in identifying letters and numbers. I would not wish to label the child, but would suggest a holistic assessment (not a medical one) that looks at health, sensory issues, along with all areas of development. He could be a gifted child with some difficulty in language and social communication. He may respond better if spoken to in a matter of fact tone, logically and sequentially. For instance, you should say "Put your shoes back in the second shelf of the cupboard" rather than make a comment about the value of everything in its place. Please do not curb his innate interests unless they harm him or others. Keep some notes about the child. It would be of great interest to psychologists.