He doesn't interact well with others, preferring to watch TV or play with his trains. Some of the other kids pick on him at school for being different. Gayle Peterson Gayle Peterson, MSSW, PhD is a family therapist specializing in prenatal and family development. Your nephew's retreat into television may be a symptom rather than the source of his problem.
Children sometimes watch TV in order to soothe themselves.
If he has been obsessed with TV from an early age, he may have been keeping himself company with the television as a replacement for human stimulation and comfort. Like any addiction, the more he may have used television to ease his loneliness, the less opportunity he had to develop social skills. He is still young, and will no doubt learn about the benefits of social interaction as he is exposed to rewarding group activities. It may also be beneficial to include other boys his age in home activities. Inviting a friend over for a couple of hours after school to play with trains may result in invitations for him to join others in his community for play after school.