Teething babies and their symptoms
The first tooth is a big event in your baby’s list of firsts and even more so for us parents.
Babies can teeth as early as four months but most babies only teeth after month seven.
How to know when your Baby is teething
Just because your baby is chewing on everything, doesn’t mean he or she is teething. You’ll notice that from four months they can grab hold of objects. It is normal for them to place objects in their mouth and chew on those items to figure out what it “feels” like.
Because they chew on everything (including their own hands) they drool more, so drooling is also not necessarily a sign of teething.
Teething can be seen on the gums. They usually flatten out a little and just before the tooth erupts it might appear to be a little water blister.
Most of the teeth will be discovered by accident when baby bites onto your finger or when they laugh a little white tooth could be seen in their mouths.
Symptoms of teething
If baby has diarrhoea, vomiting, cough, rash or high fever, rather consult a health care provider.
Symptoms of teething vary a lot. Some kids just teethe and others can show some symptoms like:
- Swollen, tender gums
- Fussiness – Teething can make babies fussy but should not make them sick
- Slightly raised temperature (still below 37.8°C)
- Chewing more than usual
- Diarrhoea is not directly linked with teething but rather to the fact that they taste and chew anything and everything and therefore they are more exposed to gastrointestinal infections, which may cause diarrhoea.
Soothing a teething baby
- Try different things. What works for one does not necessarily work for all.
- Cold pacifiers, or chewing toys, rings and washcloths can ease those swollen gums. Just make sure that you clean anything you give your baby to chew on.
- They love to chew! So allow them to chew, as long as it’s clean and safe for them to do so.
- Massage their gums with your finger.
- Medicine for pain relief should be checked with a health care provider.
Contact the helpful sisters at Homegrown Babies at Mopani Crossing Centre on 013 755 5500 for more information.
