The family of a second grader who was sent home on the first day of school for ongoing behavioral problems has offered to temporarily educate him at home rather than send him to a special school, a local education official told the Global Times Thursday.

The family agreed to take the boy, who suffers from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), out of school after meeting Wednesday with education officials and representatives of the parents of other students in his class, said Chen Yueqing, an official from the Complaint Office of the Jiading District Education Bureau.

"The boy will be educated at home with the help of teachers from the school and professionals from a child rehabilitation center until an official diagnosis says that he is fit for a normal school setting," Chen said.

The boy's case illustrates the lack of education institutions in Shanghai for children who specifically suffer from behavioral problems. The boy's family refused to send him to Jiading Chengjia School, a special education institution in the district, on the grounds that such schools are designed for children with mental disabilities, while the boy's problem is primarily behavioral, Chen said.

The district education bureau had received complaints from other parents about the boy's disruptive behavior, which included attacking other students, during his first year at Liucheng Primary School. The school suggested putting the boy in a special school temporarily, but his family refused. When he showed up for the first day of class Monday, the school sent him home in the face of complaints from parents of other students.

While the school and the family have not signed an agreement to have him home-schooled, administrators have been working on a detailed plan to help the family educate the boy. "Given that home-schooling is rare in China and parents need professional help, teachers will regularly visit the home and update the family with the school curriculum, for example," Chen said.

She added that the boy will remain registered with the school and will take the midterm and final exams.

Chen said that the boy has been on medication for ADHD, but it may take longer than a year before he can return to school.  Children with ADHD usually have trouble focusing and often intrude on others. In extreme cases, they can grow violent and anti-social.

While Shanghai lacks special education schools for children with behavioral problems, several city hospitals can provide ADHD treatment, said Xia Lin, a press officer for Shanghai Children's Medical Center. "We have ADHD specialists at our center and also hold a weekly workshop where families with such kids can share experiences and compare notes," she said.