Just like every aspect of a child’s development, no two babies are the same when it comes to their development including teething. Some babies will go through the process with little or no distress while in some babies, there could be couple of symptoms you may notice which are common among babies while teething;
- Baby’s gums become itchy, a common symptom among babies during the teething phase and in trying to soothe their gums babies tend to bring stuff to the mouth
- Excessive drooling of saliva
- Baby becomes easily irritable
- Excessive drooling of saliva may irritate skin around baby’s mouth, chest and any other area saliva commonly comes in contact with on baby’s skin
It’s important parents are aware that teething is not a cause of fever or diarrhoea. An elevated body temperature above 37.4 degrees Celsius is usually a sign of an ongoing illness which baby needs to be treated for.
The time of teething is usually about the time most babies are explorative with their environment, also, in trying to soothe an itchy gum babies tend to often pick up things to soothe their gums. If these items are not often cleaned, baby might be at risk of developing diarrhea. When a baby develops diarrhoea, its also important the baby is treated as it could lead to dehydration and malnutrition in the baby.
How to care for a teething baby:
- With a soft wet napkin or gauze, massage your baby’s gums
- Avoid stuff that makes your baby easily cranky or irritable such as soiled diapers
- Cuddld your baby as often as possible
- Keep toys and baby’s environment clean
- Wipe off excess saliva regularly
- Avoid leaving clothings soiled or soaked with saliva on your baby; its best to regularly change them to prevent baby from developing a rash
- Avoid unprescribed medications as teething is not a disease. Examples of medications commonly abused include teething powders, teething gel, aspirin etc which are to be avoided in babies due to their side effects
Teething is a developmental phase and not a disease
Newborn/New Mom Guide
