Meltdowns at bedtime

[liquidice]

Longtime Poster but name changed.

We are having massive bedtime meltdowns.

Either starts off being silly and when asked to stop etc leads to meltdown or straight meltdown.

He is looking for a reaction at times but other times completely overwhelmed and can't calm himself.

My question is what to do when he is being very violent? If we hold him he gets more mad and so we let him go after a minute or so. He then proceeds to carry on hitting or tries to trash the place.

So not to drip feed My son is 4 and on multiple medications for multiple food allergies / severe digestive issues. We do not know what he is currently reacting to and have increased one of the meds today following specialist input. His condition has been categorised as an immunodeficiency disorder where his body basically attacks everything he eats. So constant low level
Reactions and then flare ups on top.

Please help! We are at the end of our tether and I dread bedtime. He is so overtired by the time he settles.

We've already tried taking him up at 7 /7:30/7:45 etc etc but he is consistently sleeping at 9.15 or later. we've followed advice on sleep hygiene etc too.

@FizzingWhizzbee123

What medication? He’s not on Montelukast, is he?

No. He's on Azithromycin, Ketotifen, Omeprazole, gaviscon and movicol

So last night went well but today it's all tits up.

We come upstairs. He asked for book before pjs/ loo and stupid me thought he had been so good all day I would comply. Except after book he wanted to play. Asked me to pull him off his bed with his feet. I said no and left. Could
Tell the silly hat was on. Cheeky grin trying to get a reaction.

Told him he could call me when on the loo as it wasn't playing time now. So he followed me then started hitting and throwing , cheesy grin on face. I said after he has been to the loo and got changed we could talk but I wasn't engaging right now.

It carried on and on and eventually I picked him up and put him on loo, cue massive meltdown. Didn't go to the loo. Dad joins us. Meltdown in full flow now.

Dad wanted to hold him but I insisted that we take him to his room and leave him
There to calm down. By now we can hear massive gulping , nose streaming clearly uncomfortable. Offered gaviscon and he refused it. Closed the door and stood outside. Told him we would come in when calm. He didn't calm down but did say he would take the medicine a few
Times but then refused to when dad went in. I probably wouldn't have gone in so quickly as he was still clearly so worked up. But Dad was feeling super guilty, ds shouting screaming that he's scared etc.

Carried on for a while. Eventually he took the medicine and after 5 mins he calmed down.

So I know I did wrong by picking him up and putting him on the toilet but what would else would you have done at that point?

He's clearly got an upset stomach today lots of smelly wind being passed. He was all relaxed and ready for coming up but his dad got in just as we were about to come up and I could tell then that his mood switched from calm to overexcited. I did acknowledge this to him aswell but not sure it meant anything really.

Sounds like that was just a reaction to daddy coming home, my sons the same if either of us come home around bedtime or during routine

Thanks.

So far so good apart from that night I posted about. We are going to try 1:1 time so going to the cinema tomorrow