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Tooth Eruption and Teething Symptoms May Not Coincide
Tooth eruptions may not be associated with the range of
symptoms thought to be typical of teething, according to a
study reported in the December issue of Pediatrics.
The study was conducted in Australia on 21 children, 5 to 24
months old, who were attending day care centers. The
children were examined for tooth eruptions by dental
therapists, who also recorded their daily temperatures. In
addition, both day care staff and parents answered daily
questionnaires about the child's symptoms.
The investigators defined "eruption days" as the first day a
tooth could be seen or felt, "non-toothdays" as more than 28
days without any eruption day, and "toothdays" as the 5 days
preceding eruption days. Information on 90 teeth was
collected for 236 toothdays and 895 non-toothdays.
Similar mean temperatures were observed in the children on
toothdays and non-toothdays, at 36.21 and 36.18 degrees
Centigrade, respectively. Even after adjusting for age, no
association was found between toothdays and temperature.
The researchers also compared toothdays and non-toothdays to
daily staff and parent reports of mood, wellness/illness,
drooling/dribbling, sleep, diarrhea, strong diapers, red
cheeks, and rashes/flushing. Parent-reported, but not
staff-reported, loose stools was the only symptom
significantly associated with tooth eruption, with an odds
ratio of 1.86. The odds ratio of this association changed
when the definition of toothday was changed to 10 days
preceding (odds ratio: 1.42) or 5 days surrounding tooth
eruption (odds ratio: 1.47).
Pediatrics 2000;106:1374-1379.
http://pediatrics.medscape.com/32030.rhtml?srcmp=ped-010501
Teething Tips
Babies usually start teething when they are about 7 months
old, but this can vary widely, for some babies are born with
teeth, while others don't have any until they are more than
a year old. Most children do have their first full set of
teeth by the time they are two years old.
Signs that your baby may be teething include: (Although according to the news item in this issue, these
classic signs may not always be associated with teething!)
Other symptoms may occur when your baby is teething, but are
the result of a different illness. If any of these occur,you
should contact your doctor: Things you can do to help your baby:
* Let your child chew on something cold and hard, such as a
teething ring, a frozen bagel or breads, or a chilled metal
spoon. The coldness will ease the pain and the hardness
will make the tooth erupt sooner. If you buy any teething
item, be sure to check that it is free of PVC (polyvinyl
chloride) - a toxic chemical often found in soft plastics
and in many infant toys. And if you use frozen food, be sure
to take it away from your baby as soon as it thaws.
*Sucking may make the pain worse, as it causes blood to rush
to the area, increasing swelling.
*Massage your child's gums with a clean finger or with some
ice.
*Toothing gels or ointments can be used to numb the gums.
*If your doctor recommends it, a small dose of non-aspirin
pain reliever can help. Do not give aspirin because its use
in children and teens has been associated with a rate but
serious disease called Reye's syndrome.
*Chamomile tea can be used to relieve the discomfort.
*And if all else fails, try distraction. Take your child
outdoors or to some other more stimulating environment to
get her mind away from her discomfort.
*And be sure to check with your health care professional.
Sources:
Teething Trouble Natural Remedies for that Teething Baby Teething Copyright 2001 by Donna Zelzer, all rights reserved.
The individual writers hold copyright to the individual
articles.
Copies may be freely distributed electronically, as long as To subscribe, send your email to nanny-join@moonlily.com
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