Talk to me about Montelukast

[TheSheepofWallSt]

DS (2yrs) has just been prescribed Montelukast (Singulair) chewable tab (1 per evening) due to persistent viral wheeze since the start of the autumn, which worsens significantly with each cold.

He's also on Salbutamol inhalers (as and when) which make a small difference.

He has a history of poor upper respiratory health - last winter I think 6 or 7 bouts of tonsillitis - none of that this year (yet) - it's all been chest, and we're now on round 2 of antibiotics this winter...

Worried about poss side effects of Montelukast - can anyone offer insight?

One of mine was put on this as soon as it was registered here. Was absolutely brilliant for them with no problems at all. They were on it for several years and only came off due to how wonderfully they were going.

It's a really hard one op. It really helped my ds in chest terms, but we had to stop abruptly as he developed terrible ticks and became very volatile.

@TheSheepofWallSt yes I do. DD took it and we noticed a real personality change and a depressive mood. We stopped it (even with severe asthma) and a year or so later felt she was her usual self.

DS was prescribed this in powder form by the asthma nurse when he was about 5. I didn't look online, just trusted the nurse and administered the dose every day. A few months later we we're really struggling with his behaviour - he had got really aggressive and angry. In a process of elimination of wondering what had changed to cause his behaviour DH remembered the new medication - I looked online and was shocked when I read some of the side effects and testimonies.

We immediately stopped it and his behaviour went back to normal. Of course this could be sheer coincidence and nothing to do with the medication but we were not willing to continue with it and take that chance.

(I should add that his viral wheeze-type asthma is not severe at all so for us the benefits did not outweigh the side effects).

Sorry, tics not ticks Ticks would have been even more alarming!!!!

So after DS nightmare last night, and a morning of hitting and kicking me - very new behaviour for him- I’ve not been able to find it in myself to give him tonight’s dose.
He’s not as wheezy today, and seems over the worst.... so I’m not too worried about skipping the dose tonight.

I just don’t know which way to go with this longer-term.

hello is the Original Poster available to chat? i have questions regaring Montelukast for my 33 month old

My ds was prescribed Montelukast last summer for suspected Asthma. He was 15 months and on it for only around 10 weeks. I genuinely believe it changed him forever. He has never been the same. Still has night terrors, still is often upset and aggressive for no reason. He was hospitalised because of how bad he got before one of the paeds realise she was on this and took him off immediately. Said he cannot believe it's not been banned yet as there are so many young teenagers suicidal etc. If you're lucky enough to have a child that seems to be coping okay on it please bear in mind that actually it can take a lot of people years on it to get severe mental health issues. There is so much research on it now. The government recently put a statement out about it also. Worst thing we ever did was accepting this and I will forever feel guilty for my son that I didnt research it properly first

DS (9) was prescribed montelukast for persistent allergic rhinitis (pollen, grass, cat ... you name it). It did help with the allergies. However it also turned him an anxious, depressed mess that I took far too long to link to the drug. He went from a nornal, happy kid to coming downstairs saying that he didn't want to live anymore and what was the point of life. Within 2 weeks of stopping the montelukast he was saying that he was feeling a bit better and he continued to improve, although is still not completely himself yet (8 months since we stopped). We yellow carded to the medicines authority. So, no, I think it is not very well understood and potentially very dangerous.