Tag Archives: WebMD

Teething is a Pain. Literally.

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Teething baby: lower right incisor broken through.

ouch!

When my babies get their first teeth they somehow cease to be babies.  That yummy, toothless smile, so delightful and winsome, becomes older, more experienced.  It brings with it the promise of solid food, cruising and toddlerhood.

Also sleep deprivation.  Lots of sleep deprivation.

Just after my baby started sleeping beautifully, blissfully through the night, BAM.  Tooth city!  Well, at least I think it’s teething.  Here are the symptoms:

  • Gnawing on things (like my fingers.  He already has two teeth, so, ow!)
  • Pulling on his ears (did you know that teething pain can feel like ear pain?  Yowza!)
  • Drooling (it’s like a waterfall over here)
  • Congestion (a cruel side effect, if you ask me)
  • Interrupted sleep (an even crueler side effect for all of us)
  • Kvetchiness (poor kiddo)

So, even though I see all these  classic signs of teething (at least according to Dr. Sears), because I don’t see the outline of a little tooth, I still halfway think I’m making it up.  That little voice inside my head keeps saying

“What if he just has an ear infection?  What if it’s a double ear infection?  What if, what if, WHAT IF?!?!”

I would simply go to the doctor, but our insurance doesn’t start until August 1st (fun fun), and my suggestion that I trail my husband to work and get him to covertly use one of the hospital’s otoscopes was shot down (I though it was a good plan).  Also, we both think it’s teething.

So, I’ve been doing some of what is recommended for teething:

  • Giving him cold things to chew on (so proud/amazed that I actually keep the teething rings in the fridge)
  • Acetaminophen (that’s Tylenol’s “other” name)
  • Cuddling and affection (the poor little guy is in pain.  So sad)
  • Davening (okay, not exactly recommended on WebMD, but I think it’s pretty effective

When doing a little research for teething relief, I stumbled across some natural and homeopathic remedies.  I found this link to amber necklaces – no, not to chew on, to wear.  For the baby.  Has anyone ever done this?  Or known anyone who did it?  I am highly skeptical here, and I’m into that kind of stuff.  Well, kinda.

What would you do in my situation?  Go to the emergency room and wait for a doctor to look in his ears?  Try to track down a pediatrician at home and cajole them into using their otoscope?  Buy our own otoscope on ebay?

Please advise.

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image via Wikipedia

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