Soothing fix THE GUMS
Consult your clinic sister or paediatrician about what over the counter remedies and pain medications are safe.
2
GIVING YOUR BABY SOMETHING TO CHEW ON AS
A SOOTHER
Teething rings are useful and are available at most baby stores. These and dummies can also be placed in the fridge. Or try giving your baby a clean facecloth that has been folded into a triangle and placed in the freezer for a while. Once baby is comfortably on solids and starting finger foods, you can offer them: Something cold to gnaw on works wonders on your baby’s sore gums. Frozen pieces of
fruit work well. “Chewy food like carrots,
raw vegetables and fruit can soothe red swollen gums and will also strengthen jaw muscles,” explains Dr Stoppard. “They strengthen teeth and have a cleansing effect as the fibres within them are shredded during the chewing process.” Teething biscuits. YP
TIP
PURE BEGINNINGS TEETHING GEL R42.58 Baby City
TIP WHEN IN DOUBT, SEE YOUR DOCTOR
“The signs of teething can be rather confusing,” says paediatrician Dr Deon Smith. Many parents will agree. Some children will not have all the necessary symptoms and one day you notice a tooth – seemingly out of the blue. Lots of drooling, a runny nose, small loss of appetite, a slight temperature (between 37.4°C and 37.5°C), slightly looser stools and occasionally red spots around the mouth can all be attributed to teething. “But, when your baby has a temperature of 38°C, has very watery and smelly stools, has an extreme loss of appetite or is vomiting, it is very likely that something else is wrong,” says Dr Smith. In this case, you will need to take your baby to the doctor.
In severe cases, the administering of pain medication should be discussed with a healthcare practitioner first. As a rule, severe pain can be managed with paracetamol (effective in treating fever) or ibuprofen (this is an anti-inflammatory which is good for pain). Paracetamol and ibuprofen can be used together (alternating) every eight hours, not more than three doses per day and not more than three days continuously. For example: paracetamol dose given at 8am, then ibuprofen dose given at 12pm and a paracetamol dose given at 4pm. Your baby should take enough liquids when given paracetamol, as it can damage the kidneys, and do not give ibuprofen on an empty stomach as it can cause heartburn. Children under two should never be given aspirin, codeine or antihistamines, warns Dr Smith.
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