Q: My son is will soon turn seven. He is still not able to express himself clearly. Academically he is doing very well, but if an incident occurs and he has to recall it or describe how it made him feel, he is unable to do so. When he was younger I was told by the school that he was socially behind but academically he was doing very well. He seems to analyse everything. His world is black and white. He can never see grey in anything. He is very particular about his routine and the way things are done. I was worried that he was showing some signs of autism but different people have different ideas. I would get him tested if I knew what to get him tested for or who to test him. I feel all the information is stored in his head and I get to see snippets of it every now and then. I just wish I could unlock whatever it is that is holding him back. I truly believe that he is a very intelligent. Should I take him to a specialist? If yes, whom?

A:Children are different from each other and the pattern of development is not uniform. If your child attends to his routine and does well in school, why do you wish that he should be some other kind of person? Let him be himself. If he is an introvert by temperament, you will not succeed in forcing him to be an extrovert or outgoing person. Introduce him to music or visual arts. He may learn to express himself through an art form. I think it is best to leave things to change gradually, which they will. In my view, all people (including children) should be allowed to have an inner space where no one enters. Be friendly and available to your child, but try not to probe his every thought and act.