Developmental and learning disorders Quiz: Ace Your Exams

A 7-year-old boy is brought to the pediatrician’s office by his parent for evaluation of abnormal behavior. Over the past year, the patient has refused to go to school almost every morning. As the start of the school day approaches, he cries and screams that he “cannot go.” At school, the patient often has difficulty reading passages from books out loud and writes “random letters” on his assignments. He becomes easily frustrated in the classroom. In addition, the patient frequently confuses the order of words in sentences while speaking. The patient participates in karate after school and enjoys playing with his older siblings and other children in his neighborhood. Growth, vital signs, and physical examination are within normal limits. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?