Does Montelukast Intake Lead To Aggressive Behaviour In A Child?

Posted on Mon, 24 Oct 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 24 Oct 2016 Answered on

Sat, 12 Nov 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : I havea 9 yr old girlk foster child in my home. She is having really bad gas. She is ADHD, RAD and I dont know what else. But she is on the flooiwing meds. Are any of these meds causing her stomach issues.. she said her stomach hurts some times. Clonidine .1mg 3 x day... Sertraline 50 mg 1 in am..Oxcarbazepine 600mg 2 xday... Desmopressin .2 mg 1 at bedtime. ..Aripiprazole 20mg 1 at bedtime....Trazodone 100mg 1 at bedtime.... Montelukast 5 mg 1 x day. This child will not stay in school. she is disrupting the class. Can any of these meds cause agitaiton to that degree. Also check with a gasto dr on this if you dont mind at my witts end. Thank you

Answered by Dr. Sumanth Amperayani (37 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Rarely Monteleukast can cause mild aggressive behavior

Detailed Answer:
Hi.... rarely Monteleukast can cause mild aggressive behaviour. But it will not cause excessive gas.

I suggest you stop Monteleukast and observe if her aggressive behaviour gets better.

Regarding her bad gas problem, if possible try to reduce pulses in her diet. It might help. Some kids's intestinal bacteria cause this bad gas during protein digestion and absorption.

Regards - Dr. Sumanth

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sumanth Amperayani (6 hours later)

what does it mean to "reduce pulses in her diet."

Would it be good to try some dietary stomach pills for kids that is to help with digestion, Also will it help to use the chewy tablets for heartburn and gas over the counter meds.

Answered by Dr. Sumanth Amperayani (9 hours later)

Brief Answer:
No need to use pills for digestion

Detailed Answer:
Hi.... coming to your queries directly -

1. Reducing pulses in diet means - reducing the amount of protein content in the food, on which the gut flora thrives and produces this gas and bloating sensation.

2. Pills to aid digestion are not advisable and will not be a proper therapy for this.

3. The kid is already on proton pump inhibitors (Aripiprazole)...over the counter antacids are not going to help... Please do not use them.

Regards - Dr. Sumanth

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar