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Symptoms of Teething

I remember when my little ones were teething it seemed like they were so fussy and their gums were swollen along with a slight fever and diarrhea.

When do infants start teething? Usually at six months of age, however in rare cases a baby may begin teething earlier than the age of six months. When a baby begins teething, he or she will start showing a multitude of teething symptoms.

One of the most common teething symptoms is fussiness. The type of fussiness due to teething, is not general fussiness that is shown when the baby is in need of a nap or meal. The baby will be fussier than usual when teething. A baby exhibits fussiness due to the pain and swelling of the gums due to a tooth getting ready to push through the gums. Another teething symptom usually generated by a baby is chewing on their fingers, toys and any other item that may help relieve the pressure and pain that
they are feeling in their gums due to the tooth getting ready to come through the gums.

This teething symptom is one of the reasons why parents give their babies frozen or very cold teething toys, as to give their baby something that helps alleviate the pain and pressure of the coming teeth.

Low grade fever is another symptom of teething. A low grade fever may ensue due to the inflammation of the gums because of teething. As with any inflammation in the body, inflammation can cause a low grade fever, of 100 degrees F or lower. Be sure to check with your child’s pediatrician or primary care physician if the fever increases and/or lasts more than three days.

A baby that is teething, may also demonstrate earache pain as one of their teething symptoms. If the baby is pulling at their ear, and an ear infection or other ear problem has been ruled out , teething is the most likely cause. When a baby is teething, the pain from the irritated gums can radiate upward into the ear, therefore causing the baby to pull or hit on their ear. Due to this pain from the ear and the gums, the baby may also refuse eating or drinking due to the pain that they are feeling. This is especially true if the baby has begun solid foods already.

Parents usually employ different ways to help their baby deal with the pain. Different ways that pain is reduced are the use of infant Tylenol and/or Motrin, teething gel that is rubbed on the gums, and a variety of teething toys. Infant Tylenol and/or Motrin will not only relieve the pain but help reduce low grade fever in the teething child.

Pain, even though is the most common of teething symptoms, there are other symptoms as well. One of these other symptoms includes drooling. Drooling occurs during teething as the body’s way to produce more lubrication for the gums and mouth during the teething process. This drooling, may also cause a rash on the face and chin, due to the skin becoming irritated by the excess saliva during the teething process. It would help to have the saliva wiped away as soon as possible, and the skin moisturized as to reduce the chance of rash.

Last but not least teething may keep your baby up at night, due to being irritable from the pain. Giving your baby pain reducing medication before bed may help keep your baby sleep throughout the night.

These are the most common teething symptoms, and ways that they can be reduced so that your child can be comforted during one of their important growth milestones. Be sure to check with your physician if you have any concerns.