My baby has just begun teething. What can I do other than buy him a teething toy?
This and many other questions can cross your mind as soon as you see your little one suffering.
An upset stomach, body fever, swollen gums, face rash and many other things it brings along. Teething is surely the toughest phase of parenting and you can’t even see the trouble before it begins.
As soon as your child begins it, as a parent you may start looking for teething relief for babies. A child can begin teething as soon as they are three months old and can go until they reach two years old. Teething age can vary from child to child as so as the teething experience.
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What Does Teething Look Like?
Your child is refusing to eat solid foods. This might be one of the earliest signs of teething.
Long before you actually see your child developing teeth, there are other important teething signs and symptoms. Here is what teething looks like other than tiny teeth.
- A teething rash
- Unnecessary crying
- Sore gum
- Body fever
- Rubbing their cheeks
- Pulling their ear
- Chewing attempts
- Not sleeping well
- Irritability
How to Comfort a Teething Child?
Once you know your baby is teething, you will understand why this little human is giving you a tough time. Well, teething is generally an uncomfortable thing to experience but you can be bearable for your child. Here are some of the best remedies that can help you provide teething relief.
Massaging Gums
Teething causes sore gums. Sore and inflamed gums can be one of the common things to experience. To soothe these sore gums, you can try providing a gum massage. Sore gums can be the reason that your child is waking up in the middle of the night.
To soothe this pain, try a gentle gum massage. You can try manual massaging by using your finger only. Take a clean finger and put it on their gums and move slightly over the sore gums. This will provide immediate relief.
Try Teething Toy
A manual finger massage goes well and can be a great help unless there are existing teeth. You definitely don’t want your child to bite your finger so you can take help from teething toys. These teething toys are readily available in the market and are one of the easiest ways to ease the teething trouble. Made up of different teething materials, these teething toys can help to relieve sore gums.
No matter if you are going for a teething toy or doing it manually, make sure to take care of proper hygiene as this can increase the probability of infection!
Try Something Cold
Heat or cold is one of the effective ways to get rid of the pain. You can try something really cold and place it over a painful and swollen gum area. It could be a clean cold cloth that you soak in cold water for a few minutes and keep later on swollen gums to relieve the pain. This will make the kid feel better for some time and will provide a chance to bite at something.
Clove
For hundreds of years, clove has been widely used to treat tooth pain. It is one of the most popular toothache remedies that works pretty well. You can try this remedy for teething children.
To provide teething relief to children, you can try ground clove. Mix it with some carrier liquid and apply the paste to the gums. Clove is known for its antimicrobial properties and can numb the painful gum area. However, make sure to clean it with time so that your child doesn’t swallow the paste.
Fruit Popsicles
Yes, the same popsicles you and everyone else loves. You can try making these fruit popsicles at home and provide these to your child. Frozen popsicles are not only good for their sore gums but also a fun way to ease their pain. Cold temperature provides a numbness effect that can help to relieve the teething trouble your child is suffering from.
Wipe it Off
According to the top reviewed pediatrician in Karachi, Dr. Syed Uzair Maqsood “Drooling is one of the most common teething challenges. You see them constantly producing saliva that makes it all well. This can even add to the discomfort. Try to wipe their face and clean it as much as you can. Of course, you can’t wipe it all, so you should invest in a soaked cloth. This will make sleeping easier for them and easing.”
Distraction the Child
You can’t always make it a pain-free experience. Here a little bit of distraction can be a great help. Be it a noise machine or toy, these distractions can provide short-term relief to your child. Though this is not going to work for every child but can work for some.
Additional Nursing
You must have heard about the benefits of breastfeeding for your baby’s health. Other than providing them with essential nutrients and added antibodies, breastfeeding can also help to relieve the teething discomfort. Try to increase the time of nursing sessions and cuddle them a little more in order to make them feel better and sleep well.
Over the Counter Medications
If nothing seems to relieve the pain and your child is continuously suffering from the pain, then it’s better to go for some medication. There are many over the counter medications that can ease teething pain. These can help to make teething a much bearable experience for you and your child.
These medications come as teething gels and syrups but make sure to use them with your physician’s prescription as they can lead to numbness of the mouth. This mouth numbness can increase the chances of swallowing difficulty.
Let’s Wrap Up!
A teething baby can be difficult to deal with. All these sudden changes can be difficult to adapt to in the first place but you can manage them. All these home remedies can be a great help to relieve the teething trouble a baby goes through. However, if nothing seems to improve the discomfort, it’s better to consult your physician.
You can consult the best pediatrician in Lahore via Healthwire.pk to make informed decisions regarding your child’s health.
