Taking steps to find out if DS2's challenging behaviour is "normal"

[AndiE]

Thanks everyone for your support. DS2's behavioural issues have been going on for 18 months, so well before he was a big brother. With DS1 starting school and obviously the recent arrival of DS3 I totally understand and accept that he's dealing with changes. And I accept that he might take longer than the "average" child to accept and process major life changes. But still, his behaviour and how we cope and function because of it is just in an outward spiral ... hence I'm finally seeking help.

Arcadia - My boys don't have any apparent allergies or intolerances, but I'll ask the GP to get his blood checked to be sure his levels (iron, magnesium etc) are ok. I've reduced the boys sugar right down but it didn't make much difference.

Olive and MadB - no I hadn't thought of it being a sleep problem. Good point(s)! He does tend to wake most nights, sometimes 2-3 times and it's like a night terror. He's only half wakes, often strikes out and yells "Nooooo" to anything he's asked. It can go on for 10-15 mins and then, in the blink of an eye, he's asleep again. I'll make a note to mention it to the dr. Of course, sometimes he is tired during the day but he absolutely refuses to nap, and to be honest ... when he does nap at daycare (max 1 hours sleep) he'll still be awake up to two hours after being put to bed. They go to bed at 7pm nightly, so he generally gets 10.5-11 hours sleep each night.

Ginger - I'm in Brissie. Hopefully my GP knows a good paed.

Rubyshoes - I'll agree to disagree. I have an older son who certainly has his moments of bad behaviour and attention seeking, but he's not even in DS2's stratosphere. I've also got plenty of friends with children the same age, so I've got a pretty good handle on the fact that DS2 is extreme in his behaviours. And honestly, he could have my 100% attention 24/7 and he would still want more. Gut instinct tells me his behaviour at home is far more extreme than what would be considered normal. Heck, even my parents reckon I need to take him to see someone, and they are generally the most patient grandparents ever.

I'll keep you posted with what the GP recommends.