could sugar-free antibiotics be affecting DS behaviour or is it the terrible 4s

[Ilikepie]

Hi all. DS is becoming more and more difficult. he's 4 and a half. He hits and threatens to hit. He uses awful annoying empty threats, like 'I'll chop you up with my chainsaw' (he knows a lot about chainsaws, and their correct use due to DH job). Punishments, exclusions, naughty chair, all tried and nothing seems to affect him; either the punishment goes unnoticed, or he is not bothered by it, or else the punishment is so monumental in his eyes (removal of a pillow he was using for den building for example) that he goes totally apeshit. I mean unreasonably and disruptively so. I feel very sad that my lovely and often challenging boy is going beyond Challenging and towards Difficult. I worry about him starting school next week. He has had developmental delays and a few health setbacks and the school know about these but still....

Anyway, his recent uncontrollable and unreasonable behaviour coincides with starting a long course of antibiotics. He has eye problems and is on eye drops and oral antibiotics four times a day for 2 months.... We are only 20 days in. is it just a coincidence that his behaviour has gone so downhill since starting the course, or could the sweeteners in the meds be affecting him? I hate him being on the antibiotics btw, but i guess his eye health comes first....

[mrssprout]

Although it may just be age/behaviour/testing type stuff I would be checking the antibiotics. I would be looking at the ingredients list. It may be sugar free but it is bound to have artificial sweeteners & possibly other flavours or colours. Any of these could be causing an issue & if you usually keep his diet free of these type of things this may be the first time you will be seeing how he reacts to them.

[Ilikepie]

i'm going to ask the pharmacist if they do a full sugar one i think. i know sugar is bad, but i really think sweeteners are worse. it's such a long treatment to be taking any meds.