If you ask most parents, teething is not exactly the best moment for both of them and their children. It is in fact very frustrating. Discover what happens when a child shows teething symptoms so that you can manage it easily.
The teething process usually begins when a child is three months old and it can continue until he is already three years old. The first teeth that will usually come out are the two bottom front teeth or otherwise called central incisors which will happen between the first four to seven months. After about four to 8 weeks, the four upper front teeth will follow then the lower lateral incisors. The molars will appear later on, and most children will have around 20 teeth by the time they reach their third birthday.
The teething process may sound simple but it is actually not. For other children, they may not experience too much discomfort but for others, they will experience pain and other forms of uneasiness. The most common teething symptoms are increased drooling and restlessness because of discomfort on the gums. The child will also refuse to eat because the gums are sore at the area where the teeth will develop. Fussiness is also common, as well as bringing the hands to the mouth. There can be mild rashes around the mouth because of the drooling which causes skin irritation. While these teething symptoms cause your child to be uncomfortable, you should go see a doctor if the baby becomes very irritable and if there are other symptoms developed such as fever, rashes all over the body or prolonged fussiness. These can be caused by other factors and not the teething itself.
What can you do then to decrease your child’s discomfort when he shows teething symptoms? Since there is increased drooling, you have to wipe your child’s face with a cloth often to keep it dry thereby preventing rashes from occurring. Pressure is known to decrease the discomfort so it is recommended that you gently rub the gums of the child with a clean finger. You can also give the child something to chew on but make sure that this is big enough so that he will not swallow it. You can place a wet washcloth in the freezer for about 30 minutes and then have your child chew on it. This will not just relieve the discomfort but it will also help in decreasing the inflammation. You have to keep in mind though that everything that the baby puts in his mouth is clean to avoid further problems.
When the methods above do not relieve the teething symptoms, you can ask your doctor about medications that you can give to the child. There are mild analgesics that can be given to teething babies, and these will definitely help in relieving the different signs and symptoms. You have to stick with the dosage that was prescribed by the doctor so as not to cause underdose or overdose of the medication.
When your baby is showing teething symptoms, it is definitely uncomfortable for him so you have to find ways on how you can help. Keep these home care treatment methods in mind and you will surely handle the situation easily.
