All parents would like to know how best to relieve baby teething fever. Teething is a normal physiological event in a baby. Despite the fact that this event happens millions of times every single day, fever in infants teething is associated with myths of gigantic proportions.
First the facts. New teeth generally erupt anywhere after the 3rd month but this may be delayed until the age of 12 months in rare cases. The first teeth to erupt are always the front two lower teeth, followed by the front 4 upper teeth. Teething may be associated with a variety of symptoms including:
* Irritability: Teething is slightly painful and the baby may cry because of soreness. Sometimes, the baby will refuse to eat and remain very fussy.
* Drooling is also a common symptom when teething. The teething process stimulates saliva production which drools all over the chin and often also induces a cough. The cough is usually mild in nature and usually occurs when the baby is lying down. This cough usually subsides in a matter of days.
* Babies who teeth often gnaw on any nearby items. It is believed that the counter pressure from biting helps soothe the gums.
When back teeth start to erupt, the infant may have more pain. Often the baby will pull on ears or rubbing the cheeks. One should always be aware that pulling at the ear with fever while teething may be due to an ear infection which is also quite common at this age.
The question of diarrhea while teething is a point of disagreement because it is not seen in all babies and even the frequency is variable. Most doctors recommend that if persistent diarrhea occurs which lasts more than 2-3 days, then parents should seek medical assistance.
Teething and fever is quite common but does not occur in all babies. Teething and fever usually occur at the same time but on occasion the fever may persist for a few days after the tooth has erupted. In most cases, fever in infants teething does not need any type of medical treatment.
Poor sleep is another common finding in this disorder. Often the baby will wake up crying in the middle of the night. While this may be due to teething, it can also be due to a dirty diaper, hunger or gas.
Cold like symptoms with fever while teething is also common in some babies. The baby may develop a runny or congested nose and may appear flushed. If these symptoms last more than 3 days, it is wise to get a check up from a physician.
The process of teething is inherited from parents. If one of the parents had delayed eruption, so will the baby. On average, each child will develop 20 first teeth by 2-3 years which will last till the age of 6. These primary teeth will then begin to fall out but this time around the symptoms are much less but superstitious beliefs persist. At least this time around, there is no baby teething fever.