If your sweet little baby who has been an angel since his birth has suddenly started getting all drooly, cranky and fussy then it might be a sign of teething. Baby teething is probably one of the scariest things ever for the poor moms who have to keep up all night to care for the baby. Well, there are many symptoms that announce this teething nightmare for your child and you. Most often the process is accompanied by red, swollen or bulging gums and perpetual drooling in babies and toddlers. This may also be accompanied by diarrhea and cough. Most babies are quite cranky especially, at night when there is no distraction to keep their mind away from the pain. Along with this, the toddler will develop the incessant habit of chewing on any solid object that he finds which includes his fingers, your fingers and all his favorite toys. This biting and chewing actually creates a counter pressure which provides a relief from the pressure under the gums.
While these are some of the most common symptoms of teething, baby teething fever is something that troubles most parents. So now the question stands, do babies get a fever when teething? Well, it is true that a slight fever is normal at the time of teething, however, a high fever or diarrhea may be a cause for concern.
Cause of Baby Teething Fever
The main cause of fever during teething is the development of ear infection in infants. This is caused by the new teeth which create pressure on the infant’s ear canal and sinus cavities. This pressure in the ear canal can stimulate the development of an ear infection. So when the ear canal becomes filled with fluid that cannot escape it results in the growth of a bacterial caused ear infection in the ear and the sinus. Thus the baby suffers from a low, intermittent fever. However, if the teething is accompanied by high grade fever then it might be a good idea to visit a paediatrician to check for some kind of infection.
Treatment for Baby Teething Fever
The pain associated with teething is a normal part of the process. However, there are ways in which to relieve the child of the suffering and the fever. Here are a list of certain tips that you can use to provide your child with relief from infant teething fever and pain.
- Give your baby something cold to chew on like a cold teething ring or a washcloth. The teething rings are made of soft plastic and are filled with liquid making them soft and squishy. These can be chilled in a refrigerator and then given to the baby to bite and gnaw on. This will help ease the pain in the gums and relieve the teething fever symptoms.
- Bathe the baby in lukewarm water to help lose the excessive heat of the fever. Make sure that the water is either not too hot nor too cold.
- Frozen slices of banana or bagel can be fed to a teething child. This will help relieve the pressure on the gums and numb the pain.
- The first instinct when the baby has fever is to swaddle it with heavy clothes and blankets. However, it is best to keep a child’s clothing comfortable to help the skin release the heat.
- Certain types of medication like acetaminophen or ibuprofen which are best suited for children, can also act as effective pain relievers. Consult a doctor for the medication and the dosage instructions.
While the baby may be in considerable pain along with suffering from fever, it is up to the parents to recognize the symptoms. Although a low baby teething fever is normal, a high grade fever may signal a viral illness. In such a case it is best to see a paediatrician as soon as possible and seek the most valued opinion. After all when it comes to your baby, it is better to be safe than sorry.
