TEETHING IN CHILDREN PART TWO

Hello my folks. How una dey? How ya side? Se o n bubble. I am good too. Thanks so much for your responses. 

INTRODUCTION

Last time, I wrote about the errors some moms make when their children are cutting their teeth. It is only fair that I write about what to really expect during teething phase in children. A lot of "experienced" mothers, or grandmothers will disagree with me but it doesn't make them right and that is why I will explain this inevitable phase in children.

Teething is a natural phase. It occurs averagely between age six (6) months to one (1) year? It could be earlier or later. Tooth is a body appendage just like nails and hair. I have never seen one person who complained of headache while growing hair or someone vomiting while nails are growing! Or have you guys seen one?

If my hair and nails example is too far fetched, can you cast your mind back to when you changed teeth from milk teeth to permanent teeth, was your body hot? Were you vomiting or passing watery stool? Were you coughing? I am very sure your answers would be No. It's. Almost the same in babies when cutting teeth.

SYMPTOMS OF TEETHING 

There are however some symptoms associated with teething which are as follows:

      - excessive salivation

      - redness of the gum

      - hotness of the gum

      - swelling of the gum

      - refusal of foods

      - putting things in the mouth or biting

Few babies have low grade fever.

MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT TEETHING

There are however some symptoms which some mothers associate with teething. These are fever, vomiting, diarrhoea etc. These are due to two (2) reasons:

   1. The immunity that the child got from the mother is waning off at this time which is around age six months. The baby, when exposed to germs or mosquitoes at this point in time come down with illness. This is not a bad thing as it helps build the baby's immune system. It is only bad when it is not managed well.

  2.  The baby at this stage is at the oral stage of development and so puts anything and everything into his mouth which literally means he is eating germs. This makes him sick.

If your child has fever, diarrhoea and /or vomiting, start Oral Rehydration Salts immediately, tepid sponge and run to the hospital. Don't wait till the child is limp. We have lost many children due to such negligence. It is not a teething problem, it is an infection and it can kill.

MANAGEMENT OF TEETHING SYMPTOMS 

If your child has the teething symptoms above, get a teether, wash it, place it in the fridge for it to cool and then give your baby to chew on it, so that it can cool the gum and reduce the swelling. You can see a dentist or a doctor if need be. Other things you can do is to make your house and your baby's hands to be as clean as possible so that he has a lesser chance of eating dirt/ germs.

I stand on my feet to say you don't need teething powder or gripe water or whatever you are thinking of right now. Teething, I repeat is a natural thing.

Lest I forget, for the 'Bonababe' users, do not combine it with paracetamol. Many mothers do. Bonababe already contains paracetamol. So choose between the two if you must give an analgesic.

I will sign out now. Next time I will talk about care of our baby's teeth. I will also talk about some superstitious beliefs on teething.

Thanks and bye for now.