Antibiotics & behaviour

I've had DD3 on a mostly additive/preservative free diet for a while now. 6 months or more. Things weren't too bad. I've figured out a few things she can still tolerate & a lot that we stay well clear of.

Fast forward to Thursday & the beginning of a chest, ear & throat infection as well as croup. She was sent home Wednesday not feeling well & not being herself (too quiet lol). That night I gave her nurofen & it took 2 hours of aggression for her to fall asleep. kicking the walls, kicking the mattress off her bed. When she finally slept she was on the frame between the wall & mattress... I moved her. Cue waking & crying for a further 20 minutes :/

I took her to the GP Thursday. Predmix & antibiotics. I tried to buy colour/flavour free paracetomol, but eftpos was down (chemist 60k away so haven't been back yet).
Friday we had the kids swimming carnival. She wasn't too bad. Pushed the buttons a little in the afternoon, but we survived the day! :lol:

Yesterday it all came undone. I have Lice Attack, my tea tree conditioner spray & another bottle of detangle stuff covering my lounge, & coconut oil all over her little table. Then had the table & a plate of food thrown across the room in an epic 'don't love the other sibling, only me' moment (other 2 are sick as well). Took her to time out for her to come out as soon as I walked away with a smart 'I'm out'. That's when I honestly gave up. It was like a bloody demon had waltzed in & taken over my child!

It's 10am & miss Contrary has already made a few appearances today.

I'd like to hope she'll never need antibiotics again, but that ain't possible. She only had one dose of the predmix on Friday morning, so it's not that. I already think next time I'll crush panadol etc with ice cream or something as suggested on the fail safe website. But I think the abs, mixed with the nurofen, are just too much.

Can you get antibiotics without the fun of the colours etc for kids? Would it be possible to get adult capsules to break up & use, or would they think I'm crazy & trying to over dose my child...

Seriously looking at the phenergan in my pantry & weighing up the options of sedation....... (It's ok to dream right??)

Hi clover, my dd was useless at swallowing pills so we used to get the abs in liquid format so perhaps ask the chemist about that. But I think they probably have to put lots of flavor to make them drinkable so that also might have an affect? Maybe the behavior is just because she is not feeling well ?

She's got the liquid. Thats why I thought crushing pills would be a better option.

I'm sure she is just feeling horrible, but she's actually never behaved like this when sick before. Not this feral. Why can't she just be drowsy & grumpy like a normal child?

She threatened to smash a glass bottle over my head if I didn't do whatever it was she wanted today. I think it was wanting to go to the pool. She didn't even come close to attempting it, but the fact that she actually says these things shocks me. She did throw & smash a glass bottle across the room a few weeks ago with a similar attitude. 'Give me what I want or I'll smash it'. I refused & she threw it across the room. I'm a bit lost here. I've never known a kid to even threaten these things, let alone follow through. If I don't physically get up ever single time & take what ever it is off her, she goes ahead. This is typical, though not constant, behaviour. The last 4 or so days it's been constant. I'm exhausted (again...)

Oh that must be difficult for all of you. Perhaps ring the pharmacist and ask them what ingredient might do that so you know for future. Sorry you are having to deal with so much at once.

Hi Sorry I can't offer more than a sympathetic I know your pain story. My DS had a similar reaction (twice) to a liquid medicine for a gut parasite while we were living in Ghana. He had to have the medicine three times a day and for about 2 hours after each dose he would go completely mental it was not at all fun. We really dreaded the evening dose...
I don't know what it was that did it but it's only ever been that medicine that's caused such a reaction for him.
I second the suggestion to ask the pharmacist to see if maybe you can work out what the culprit could be so you can better avoid it in the future.
Also I'd reckon crushing up tablets could be a better option. I'm pretty sure my DS was reacting to something they used to cover up the (absolutely awful) taste of the medicine rather than the actual medicine. You could probably talk to the pharmacist about doing that actually since they often have the powdered form themselves and could make up correctly dosed capsules for you.
Good luck! I hope everything calms down soon. And that everyone is better in your house soon!

We had the same here. I can't remember what it was but I remember it was orange. DS was literally bouncing off the walls (literally...and the floors, and the beds etc etc.). I agree to check with a compounding chemist to see if they can make up an alternative.

I think I will be discussing it with them before I give anything again. They must've had someone filling in. Friday there was a pharmacist there I hadn't seen before, yesterday the usual one was back (other 2 now on antibiotics as well).

Have a colour free paracetomol to see how that goes compared to the nurofen. Haven't opened it yet though, not sure of my chances of her actually taking it.

She should be finished the course by the end of the week. I'm sure I can get most of yesterdays tomato sauce out of the mat by then... And hopefully she won't need anymore before she's old enough for capsules! If not I'll have to ask about something else. I can't do this again.