| When a baby begins
teething, there is no set pattern on when it will
begin, how long it will take and how painful it
will be. For one baby cutting a tooth might happen
overnight without pain, while another child might
have to go through a long, drawn out and painful
experience. You may sometimes visibly see a rise
or lump in the gum for several weeks, while sometimes
there may be no visible clue at all until the
tooth actually appears.
The symptoms of teething vary from child to
child. While most parents usually agree that
some or all of the symptoms below happened around
the time of teething, it is still recommended
that if your baby experiences any of these symptoms
you check with your pediatrician to rule out
other possible causes for the symptoms.
SYMPTOMS :
• Irritability:
As the sharp little tooth rises closer to the
surface your baby’s gums may become increasingly
more sore and painful, leading to your baby
being very fussy.
• Drooling:
From three to four months of age you may see
your baby start drooling more often than normal.
Teething stimulates drooling, which is often
worse with some babies than others.
• Coughing:
The extra saliva can cause your baby to occasionally
cough or gag. This is usually nothing to worry
about as long as your baby seems fine and shows
no signs of a cold or flu and does not run a
high fever.
• Chin rash:
If your baby is a big drooler, the constant
contact with saliva can cause the skin around
the chin and mouth to become irritated. To help
prevent this, gently wipe your baby’s
mouth and chin periodically throughout the day.
• Biting & gnawing:
A baby that is teething will gnaw and gum down
on anything she or he can get their mouth around
• Cheek rubbing & ear pulling:
Pain in the gums may travel to the ears and
cheeks particularly when the back molars begin
coming in. This is why you may see your baby
rubbing their cheeks or pulling at their ears.
However, keep in mind that pulling at an ear
can also be a sign of an ear infection.
• Diarrhea:
While this is a symptom that is disagreed upon
by physicians, researchers and parents, most
parents usually notice slightly looser bowel
movements when a baby is teething.
• Low-grade fever:
You may find that your baby gets a slight fever
while teething. The best thing to do is be extra
safe and notify your doctor if a fever last
more than two days.
• Not sleeping well:
With teething pain happening during the day
and night, you may find your child wakes more
often at night when the pain gets bad enough.
• Cold like symptoms (runny nose,
etc.):
Some parents find that their baby will show
signs of having a cold. Play it safe and always
notify your doctor if symptoms such as this
occur.
How to ease the
pain?
There are several things that you can try to
help ease the pain of teething; some work and
some don’t, but most parents agree they’re
always worth a try. Teething rings, water filled
and chilled rubber teething toys; mom and dads
fingers can all provide counter pressure that
can sometimes bring relief. Offering your baby
a cold bottle of water can also help. If sucking
on the bottle bothers your child, offer a cold
cup of water. The water can also help replenish
your baby’s fluid if they’re drooling
a lot or have loose bowel movements.
When nothing else helps, you can also turn
to the Infant Tylenol. Before giving your child
Infant Tylenol (acetaminophen) always check
with your doctor first.
The teething process will come and go just like
so many other things with new babies. Keep trying
different things until you find what provides
the best relief for your child.
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