Advice about Teething
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April 2009
Our 4 month old baby sleeps in our bed with us and I nurse her
throughout the night. Recently she has been waking up about
every hour during the night and crying--it's not that she's
hungry but I usually try to put her back to sleep by nursing and
that doesn't always work (when it used to before). I think that
she might be waking up so often because she is in pain from
teething? Has anyone else had this experience with a young baby?
She has never ''slept through the night'' but she hasn't always
woken up so many times at night. She does appear to really be
teething--during her awake times she is constantly shoving her
own fingers or my fingers in her mouth and she drools a lot. We
enjoy sharing a bed with her but I am getting exhausted from her
frequent wakings and not being able to soothe her very quickly.
Any suggestions?
Hope
My daughter started teething at 2 months, and her first two
bottom teeth came in on the day she turned four months old.
This is usually genetic, and someone else in the family
(aunt/uncle, etc.) probably also got teeth early. The good
news is that orthodontic work starts earlier -- my daughter was
done with braces at 11 years old because all of her adult teeth
were in so early. Believe me, it really works out to your
benefit to have an early teether.
Tooth fairy
Sounds like teething to me! Hands in the mouth.. lots of
drooling.. fussier than normal. This is exactly what my little
one when through about a month before her little tooth popped
through!
The frustrating thing is that there is no way to track the
bottom teeth from coming through until you see that little white
tooth start to poke at the gums. Nighttime is always the
toughest because they don't have other stimuli to distract them
from the pain! A few tips:
- During the day, try giving your little one a washcloth with a
frozen corner. Not only does it ease the pain, but it helps
absorb the drool at the same time :)
- Before bed, if you want a homeopathic remedy, try Hyland's
Teething Tablets. Just dissolve 2 under the tongue or in a
little bit of milk.
- If homeopathic does not work (it didn't for me at first),
Orajel ROCKS. Just a little bit on the bottom gums.. this is a
great way to see if it IS teething too. If it calms the baby
down, you know that is where the pain is coming from!
Seacue
My daughter started acting the same way at 4 months and she was
definitely teething. She didn't wake more frequently, but
everything went into her mouth and she started howling when she
chewed on a hard toy. By 6 months her first two bottom teeth
erupted. We went through about 2 months of howling and we put
away all of her hard toys for that time. Towards the 6 month mark
things got more intense so we gave her Tylenol and it helped
alot. You could try giving your baby Tylenol at night and see if
she goes back to the 3 hours wakings. If she does, then I bet she
is experiencing pain at night from teething.
Early Teether's Momma
March 2009
A few of my friends and family have had success (they think; hard
to say for sure) with amber teething necklaces for their babies.
My daughter is having a terrible time with teething and I've been
thinking about getting one (Hyland's tablets don't really cut it
for her and I'm reticent to load her up on ibuprofen or similar).
My two concerns are these: that she will yank on the necklace or
otherwise destroy it and choke on the beads (she's broken a few
of my necklaces and she always pulls off hats, socks, etc.; my
SIL swears her grabby baby never touches her necklace, though);
and this warning that I read on a teething necklace seller's website:
Similar to children’s games that have age recommendations when
the items contain small parts, new legislation coming into effect
in the US in February, 2009, mandates an age recommendation of 3
years and older for this type of jewelry. This jewelry is not
intended for wear on children under 3 years old. (If you do not
see this age recommendation on the website of other retailers of
this type of jewelry, it does not mean that their jewelry is
better suited or safer for young children – they are simply in
violation of US law [Small Parts Regulations].)
What do parents on the list think of these necklaces and of this
new legislation? It seems most babies hit the worst of teething
way before 3 yrs old, so clearly this law isn't going to help the
amber necklace sellers. Thoughts? Advice? Experience (pro or con)
with the necklaces? I checked the archives and was surprised not
to find anything on this - must be kind of a new fad...I'm really
most interested in thoughts specifically on the necklaces as
opposed to teething advice in general. Thanks!
amber-curious
I have an amber teething necklace for my 6mo and swear by it. My
cranky fussy teether went back to his normal sweet self w/in 24
hrs. He started teething at 3 months and got his first 2 teeth
at 3 1/2mo. I was hesitant have him injest anything besides
breast milk. I have tried the boiron teething water since, but
don't think it did anything. The necklace was a great
alternative. The necklace has individually knotted beads, so if
the necklace breaks only one bead comes off. I have 2 extra
tumbled chip necklaces to sell at 13'' for $10 if you are
interested- they usually go for more with shipping. My son wears
his 24/7- except for bath and massage time, although we put it
under a legging on his leg when he sleeps.
Sam
I know nothing about amber necklaces, but I did have a strong
reaction to the part of your posting where you said that you
didn't want to give your teething child ibuprofen. Honestly, I
think it's unkind at best, and downright mean at worst, to deny
your child pain relievers when she is in pain! If you are
worried about ibuprofen, use acetaminophen. Would you deny
yourself pain relievers if you had a bad toothache? I'm not
saying a kid has to be tanked up on analgesics all the time,
but teething HURTS, and if your child seems overly
uncomfortable, you might consider treating the pain. Forgive
me if I sound too judgemental or if I misunderstood your
posting. There is just such a long history of undertreating
pain in children (MDs used to believe infants didn't feel pain,
didn't need anesthesia for surgery, etc.), and sometimes I
think parents are mistakenly too reluctant to give their
children medication.
If I understand your question correctly, you are saying that you
don't want to give your baby ibuprofen. But you are considering
giving her a necklace to chew on that you know could cause her to
choke and possibly god forbid even die? (And how cynical is that,
marketing necklaces to people for their babies, and then putting
a disclaimer warning against it on your website?).
Please give her the ibuprofen when she is in pain. You don't
have to ''load her up''. Give her one or two, or whatever your
doctor recommends. Millions of teething babies have taken it
without harm. It has been tested and proven safe. Please don't
make your baby suffer through teething pain, and please don't
give her a necklace to chew on that you know she could choke on.
Necklaces for babies have been tested and proven fatal!
Mom of 3
My son has constantly worn his amber teething necklace since he
was 6 months old (including swimming and bathing). He is 22
months and just outgrew it, and is insisting on getting another
one (we ordered ours from www.novanatural.com, and they have
both an infant and toddler version). My son is VERY rough, has
broken many of my necklaces and yanked on his since he got it.
He has also chewed on it, though with supervision (if he got
rough with biting it, I would ask him to be gentle and give him
something else to chew on). I have been amazed at how well it
has held up; we have had no problems. All of the amber beads
are individually knotted in, so if it breaks only one bead will
come off. I figured that it was so small, he would probably
just swallow it if it broke off, and, while not ideal, it
wouldn't be the worst thing he'd eat as a child :)
As for whether or not it helped teething, I can't say for sure.
We got it pretty quickly in the teething game. It is definately
soothing to him though. He will often rub the beads as he falls
asleep. I certainly don't think it hurt at all.
As an aside, I understand they have been traditionally used in
Europe for a long time; we often have folks (they seem to
usually be from Sweden) remarking on how they saw babies all the
time with them ''back home''. And our pediatrician (who is
cautious about most things) never said anything other than how
cute he was in his necklace.
Quite happy with our necklace wearing son
I have amber necklaces for all my kids and feel that they helped
them all with their teething pain. I got the first one for my
middle son when he was having a really hard time with his teeth
coming in. He was probably between 1 and 1.5 when we got his. The
necklaces are strong and well made and don't break easily. They
are knotted between every bead which makes them much safer as
well. We got ours from Nova Naturals and have been very happy
with them.
If you are worried, wrap it a couple of times around your child's
ankle.
Jess
We used one; it didn't break, and our kid has broken necklaces
before (on herself and others...)
Did it help? We THINK so, but we'Re not really sure.
kevin
I am confused - can someone explain to me why you would have your
child wear an amber necklace (or anklet or whatever) for teething
and what the connection is? Is there any evidence at all that
these work?
confused
July 2007
My 14 week old has gone through some changes lately, and I think she might be
exibiting early signs of teething. She's biting and chewing and drooling, but she's also
quieted down a lot and is spitting up a lot. The latter two symptoms have me a bit
worried. Any thoughts or advice? Should I be worried that she's not talking as much?
And is the spitting up normal? She never really spit up before, and now she's doing it
after almost every feeding. (We breast feed.)
Thanks.
Cynthia
My daughter showed teething signs at 3 months and her first
came through just short of 4 months so it's possible she's
teething but just as possible that she shows the classic
teething signs and nothing will come through for 6 months.
They rumble a lot before they pop through is my guess.
As for the spit-up, no biggie. They go through phases.
the drooling at 3mos is pretty normal, teething wise, even if
teeth don't show up until 6 or 7 mos. excessive spitting
up/reflux can be from allergies, most frequently to dairy or
wheat. did she have any vaccinations right before you noticed the
change? this could be a reaction, or an exacerbation of allergies
that previously were not so bad as to be noticed.
you may try eliminating dairy and wheat from your diet for a
while, up to a month or more, and see if there is a change. you
may find a big change rather quickly (days), but it does take a
long time for all allergens to be cleared from your systems.
you can look at mothering.com in their allergy forum for more
info about the allergy-reflux connection:
http://www.mothering.com/discussions/forumdisplay.php?f=307
signed: mama of refluxy babies.
I actually missed the original question--but the response in this
past email caught my eye. My daughter had serious drooling at 3
mos. and was fussy & we all thought she was teething. She also
spit up a lot which we were continually reassured was nothing to
worry about. She didn't seem to be in pain. In any case massive
drooling turns out to be a symptom of reflux--as is spitting up.
She started to have a lot of trouble nursing & was finally
diagnosed with reflux and so many other problems went away with
treatment for that--including all the drool and the drool rash. I
don't know if that is helpful, since I can't recall your
question--but I hope so.
hpf
March 2005
My 7-month-old is teething for the second time (her top two
teeth are coming through). The first time around, we were co-
sleeping, so none of us slept. Now she is in a crib and WAS
sleeping well (for about two weeks) until the teething started
again. I give her Hylands Teething Tablets before bed at 6:30pm
and then when she wakes the first time at 1am. But she still
wakes up at least 1 or 2 more times before 6:30am. Should I
just resign myself to another couple weeks of broken sleep? Or
have any of you had success getting a teething baby to sleep
through the night? Does it get better with the later teeth, or
is it going to be like this every couple months for the next
two years?
Still Hoping For Sleep
It is dubious that teething is the cause. Marc Weissbluth (''Healthy
Sleep Habits, Happy Child,'', 2003, p. 293) says flat-out that
''Teething, contrary to popular belief, does not cause night waking.''
It's probably something else that's causing the night waking and the
teething is merely coincidental.
Anon.
I think it depends on the baby. I have heard of some babies who had no
trouble with teething (not mine). Both my children had a horrible time
with teething, in terms of sleep and pain. The teething tablets did
nothing for them. I'd try a dose of Tylenol or Motrin before bed. We
had better results with it.
Good luck.
BO
Yes, teething babies can sleep through the night! My 22 month twins
maintain a daily routine and have never had teething (or anything else
for that matter) wake them at night. If you are interested, the routine
I follow is from a book called The
Contented Little Baby Book, by Gina Ford.
I had the same problem with my 6 month old. But I gave him a pacifier,
when I was trying hard not to give him one. With the pacifier he can
soothe his gums while he sleeps. Sometimes I hear him squirm & moan a
little & I found out it was because the pacifier fell out of his mouth
while he slept & he couldn't find it to soothe him. So I put 3 of them
in his crib so now he can feel around & find one of them.
Shelly
For my kids, teething makes sleeping very difficult. My elder son
didn't sleep through the night the entire time he was
teething--thankfully he had 16 teeth by 13 months, and we had a few
months of blessed sleep before he started his 2 year molars.
But once he had those in, as well, sleeping has been wonderful.
One other note--Hyland's teething tablets don't work for every child, as
is true for much homeopathy. We also tried Motrin and Tylenol, and they
didn't work either.
Looking back, I'm glad I didn't force hte issue. It seems hard when
you're in the moment, but looking back, it was such a short period of
time. Now he sleeps through the night, every night.
And that perspective has given me the ability to do the same with my
younger son, now one. I know eventually he'll sleep through the night
too, when he's ready.
Heather heythere_heather@yahoo.com
In my experience, the appearance of teeth was the end of sleeping
through the night. At about 5 months, a pattern gets set up where they
wake (initailly due to teething pain) and need comfort or nursing to go
back to sleep. Teething pain comes and goes until they're two or so, but
until you break the wake/comfort pattern (by crying it out), you'll have
a night waker. It's very hard to hear your child cry. We tried all the
non-cry it out techniques and waited until abt. 9 months when we were
both at the edge of sanity, Of course you do what you can for the
teething pain.
Good luck
I think teething babies can sleep through the night since my 8.5- month
old has been doing a pretty good job of it and his two bottom teeth are
coming in. He was already sleeping through the night on occasion -- and
if not maybe had one waking at around 4 am -- before the teeth started
so maybe that helps. I have not noticed that he is experiencing any real
pain or discomfort with his teeth coming in so if he fusses at night I
usually just let him go back to sleep on his own. We did do some mild
sleep training at about 4.5 months and have refreshed it once or twice
since after colds, etc. But, in his case at least, teething is not an
inhibitor to good sleep. Good luck!
mother of sleeping teether
You don't say so in your message--is there a reason that you have not
tried Motrin or Tylenol?
If you are not opposed to those options, they are worth a try.
My teething kids (both of them) could not sleep through the night at all
without Motrin.
Teething *hurts.* In my kids, a Motrin dose can lasted up to 6 hours,
sometimes 8.
Good Luck
Donna
In the original post, the parent mentioned that she had given Hyland's
Teething Tablets to stop the pain her 7 month old was suffering.
It breaks my heart every time I hear about someone using a homeopathic
treatment on a suffering infant when there are so many wonderful
products that are safe, effective, and evidence-based.
Homeopathy is to medicine what astrology is to physics. Hylands is
making huge profits at the expense of children's health with their sugar
tablets (it's the sweet taste that probably is the only effective
ingrediant).
You can learn more about homeopathy at the wonderful
Quackwatch.com:
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/homeo.html
I'm sure my comment will upset some flat-earthers but hopefully it will
prevent some unsuspecting parent from trying to heal their baby with a
product that is 100% marketing and 0% real.
anon
Feb 2004
Our 6 month old (and us) is in teething hell. We got through
the colic, and had about two months of amazing joy at having
him in our lives, then he started pre-teething and things have
gotten progressively worse since then. I'm medicating him to
the best of my ability, I've tried frozen wash cloths (hates
them), orajel on the gums (still has a hard time and the
numbness keeps him from nursing well, which is about the only
thing that seems to comfort him at all). We went to the doc who
checked him out (he's fine) but he's not sleeping, eating, or
living well right now. As a result, neither am I or my partner.
We are so tired and totally beside ourselves because we just
can't comfort him enough to make him comfortable!! Plus, we're
having difficulty seeing the silver lining because we're so so
tired. I'm looking for two things: community (stories so I know
we're not alone and that give us hope), and information - will
he go through this for all his teeth? what kind of long-term
situation are we dealing with? He's hurting, and it kills us.
The fact that we are hurting too makes it all the more
difficult to help him. Help!
Jen
All I can say is my son also goes through teething h*ll, and it
often seems to take place when there is movement under the
gums, not necessarily when the teeth are cutting through.
Therefore, the Hylands Gel and cold cloths seem less helpful to
him. We use a lot of the Natra-Bio homeopathic teething relief,
and I swear it helps, but use it liberally and often when your
baby is suffering. Also, at night, if he's really struggling,
we use Infant Tylenol before bedtime. I need to hold him a lot
and nurse, nurse, nurse!
alliso
You didn't say what you've tried besides Orajel. Have you tried
the homeopathic teething tablets and/or gel? They can be given
frequently with no side effects. There are single homeopathic
remedies, too: belladonna 30C and camillia 30C, available at
most health food store in small blue tubes (crush 2 pellets
between 2 spoons, let baby lick it off the spoon -- no food for
15 minutes before or after the remedy). Also, infant
Advil/Motrin can help at night. Frozen bagels help some babies
during the day. My baby likes chewing on a pacifier (not
sucking). It is hard, but it will get better. Sounds like there
are several teeth coming in at once.
Jennifer R
I feel for you, believe me. We had similar problems with the
teething. Have you tried baby motrin? That really seemed to do
the trick for our baby and it lasts up to 8 hours so you might
actually get some sleep. I found the motrin more effective than
baby tylenol -- I think because Motrin actually blocks the pain
signal to the brain where Tylenol just increases the pain
threshold (or so I have been told). Good luck!
anon
You didn't mention using Motrin or Tylenol. That's what we
give to our son when he is teething and it seems to work well.
Our doctor believes that children are way under medicated for
teething. Anyway, if you haven't tried it, pick up some
children's Motrin and see if it helps.
anon
We have been through it and it does get better. But when you
are in the middle of it it feels like it will last forever. Our
son started teething around 1 month old. He didn't sleep for
more than 2 -3 hours in a row for the first 7/8 months. I to
was not only totally exhausted but absolutely bewildered...is
this what parenting was about? It was not at all what I
imagined. He was also extremely fussy. I don't really have
much advice on how to help your son through it because nothing
really seemed to work for our son. It seemed to get better as
he got more teeth...until the molars started coming in and then
it really bad for awhile. I am sure other people will have some
advice for you but i just wanted to say you are not alone, he
will get through it and it will hopefully get better soon.
anon
One thing that really helped when my son was teething was this
vibrating teething toy my mom found. It had a nubby texture and
would vibrate whenever he bit down on it. I also had good luck
w/ the homeopathic teething tablets. Don't forget Tylenol when
all else fails. When they are in pain, they need some relief.
Chances are the rest of the teeth won't bother your baby as much.
This too will soon pass!
Been There
Jan 2002
apparently, it runs in the family. she spits out the homeopathic teething
tablets dissolved in water. is it safe to pop the tablets directly in her
mouth? any other advice? we've tried the frozen washcloth. i don't want her
first year of life to be cherry flavored (tylenol)!
Madeleine
I have a 5 month-old son and I have been using the teething tablets. I put
them directly in his mouth, either under his tongue or in his cheek. I
usually use my finger to hold them in place until they dissolve. They
dissolve very fast and my son doesn't seem to mind the taste. Sometimes I
nurse him immediately after giving them to him. That way I know he's
swallowed them. But it's not really necessary. Good luck!
"Aimee"
My baby started teething at 3 months too. He liked chewing on a wet
baby washcloth, either plain or filled with a few ice chips. Ginger
My little guy started getting his teeth at 3 months also. I used a
different homeopathic remedy that worked wonders: Camilia by Boiron.
It is a liquid that comes in individual tubes that are squeezed into
the baby's mouth.
Sharon
Jan 2005
I
am wondering if anyone has any advice about teething? My baby is
getting some big molars and is miserable -- his parents are too as he's
keeping us up half the night. We give him advil every night (seems to do
no good), we've tried homeopathic tablets (they might help a little), but
I'm reluctant to try the gum gels. He's been really fussy for about 10
days now and I can see them coming in...Actually, there's only one
coming in. Will every molar be a nightmare for us both to endure? Or
do they get used to the pain of the next ones that have to come in? And
after they come i n, is it hard to get babies to return to their previous
sleep patterns? He was sleeping almost through the night (finally!) and
now is up every 2-3 hours again, wanting to breastfeed for 45 minutes
each time...
When will I sleep?
We used a dose of baby tylenol before bed each night and it
helped our daughter. And, no, the teething pain isn't less for
the 2nd molar. Poor kids!
Good luck
JM
June 2003
Where can I buy good-quality wooden teething toys? I have seen
some nice ones at the Ecobaby website but am hoping there's
somewhere local I could go (saves on shipping and gets me out of
the house!)
Thanks!
Sara
On 4th St. there is a store called ''The Ark'' and you will find
more than one wooden teething toys.
amy
I think The Ark on Fourth St. in Berkeley has wooden teethers. I
think I might have seen them on Shattuck Ave. (at Virginia) in
Berkeley at a kid's store too, used to be Pickles and Icecream
now called Waddle and Swaddle (?) or something like that. It
might also be worth a call to Rockridge Kids.
SW
A cute store that carries wooden teethers is Five Little Monkies
on Solano Ave. in Albany. They are about $7-$12. Some are the
same brands that Ecobaby has.
Melissa
Aug 2004
while we were on holiday for two weeks, my 10-month old
daughter was teething & seemed to have alot of pain, so i was
giving her motrin most nights before she went to bed. she's
not a great sleeper (bed at 7:30, then up at 3, or sometimes 2
or sometimes midnight, and then up again at 4 or 5), so i give
her the motrin in hopes that she'll stay asleep till at least
3. but now we're home, & since the teething pain will
doubtless persist, i'm getting worried about giving her too
much motrin. most nights it was just at bedtime, but sometimes
i'd dose her again after 6 or 8 hours.
any ideas for other ways to relieve gum pain at night (or
thoughts on how much infant motrin is too much)?
tired mom
CLOVE OIL!!! It is an essential oil that is good to numb all
teeth pain...It's sort of like Ambesol only super strength. It
will sting for a minute but its great for hours after topical
application.
Wanda
We used Boiron brand homeopathy tablets, pure chammomile. Worked
like a charm, and no nasty chemicals or food coloring to boot.
Anon.
Wow! When I read your about your dilemma, I was compelled to write you
a response. In my practice, and with my own child, I suggest Hyland's
Homeopathic Teething Tablets. They can be found at a Whole Foods or a
health food Coop, easily. Follow directions as to the age vs ! dosage
amounts. Frozen bagels are excellent for babies to ''chew'' on to
relieve teething symptoms temporarily. I found the homeopathic
tablets worked extremely well for us, and for my clients.
To your health and sanity!
Samantha
Hi,
My heart goes out to you, my daughter was a horrible teether, and I
went through the same feelings of guilt and worry with the motrin - I
tried everything, homeopathic tablets, cold rags, ora-gel,
etc. etc. etc.. But, it seemed like the only thing that would help
her was the motrin - (not even tylenol seemed to touch her pain), so I
had to just bite the bullet, and give her the motin so she wouldn't be
so miserable, and she's had no backlash or negative effects from this,
(sometimes I would have to give her motrin for! like 6 -7 nights in a
row)!! Anyway, point is, she's fine despite having to give her
motrin. Although now, I would concider doing acupuncture or something
like it, (they don't actually use needles on little kids), but my
acupuncturist is wonderful, and she's really great with kids, (she has
2 grown children of her own, and really knows about alternative
treatments), her name is Sidney Walker, and her # is 510-540-5908...
good luck!
jen
Run, do not walk, to your nearest health food store and ask for
Hyland's teething tablets. These are a perfectly natural
homeopathic remedy for teething. I used them with both of my
kids and they work remarkably well without the use of drugs. If
my child was having a particularly difficult day or eve, I
supplemented with a little tylenol, but only needed to on a few
occassions. (Note: homeopathic rememdies are NOT herbs and are
perfectly safe.) I would really worry about using Motrin on a
regular basis- it's hard on the liver even for adults. Good
luck!
A mom who needs her sleep!
When we notice the teething thing starting (swollen gums, extra
drool), we immediately start giving Hylands teething tablets to
our 14 mth son. We give them for a few days and it really seems
to make a difference. It is a natural tablet and it seems to
us, that it takes the edge off (even when he was teething 6
teeth at once). You can buy them at any grocery or drug store.
Good luck.
DiAnn
I got very good relief using over-the-counter homeopathic
remedies for teething pain. In particular a blend in liquid
form with the brand name ''Camilia'' gave very fast relief. You
could also experiment with single ingredient remedies, such as
Arnica or Chamomila. Good luck!
meg_
I also have a daughter who was/is very much affected by teething
pain. She sometimes would wake up every hour all night long.
When her first molar came in, I used Motrin for something like 3
weeks in a row. I only used it at night, and sometimes twice at
night. I felt weird about giving her so much, but it definitely
seemed to ease her pain and she'd sleep longer. I had a
toothache recently that woke me up at night, and I can understand
the need to medicate!
I tried Hyland's teething tablets too, with some success. I
discovered another homeopathic teething tablet called
''Humphreys.'' At first I was nervous to try it, because it
doesn't dissolve as quickly as the Hyland's, but I think the fact
that my daughter had to suck on it for a little bit was part of
the reason it was successful. It sort of got her little mouth
busy on something, and she'd calm down. There are times she has
woken up crying, and I give her the tablets and she immediately
falls back asleep. Miraculous! I also have had the same
reaction to using Orajel nighttime gel. I have put it on her
gums and she has immediately settled herself. I haven't had a
ton of luck finding Humphreys teething tablets, though. The only
place I have found them is at the Target in Union City. I have
been to other Targets, but they didn't carry it. I seriously
LOVE those ta! blets and stock up on them any time I'm in Union
City. They are non-prescription, but the pharamacy has it behind
the counter.
Good luck. I feel your pain (and your daughter's!)
I didn't see your original posting, and maybe you addressed this,
but my thought is, what's wrong with motrin? I have never heard
of any baby having trouble with it. At least it is regulated so
you know what's in it, and there have been safety studies, unlike
the (most likely harmless) homeopathic tablets. Is there some
danger with it that I am not aware of? I say, don't feel guilty
about treating your child's pain.
Shannon
June 2004
I checked the archives and there wasn't any information about
experiences with Hylands Teething Tablets and Gel.
Has anyone done any research? What's in the them? Do they
work?
Infant Motrin and OraGel has worked fine and is a good tool to
have but I'd also like a homeopathic option if it has less of a
systemic impact on infants.
My babies are 7 months old, if that matters.
Thanks,
Rachel
We've been using the Hyland's teething tablets and
consider them a real lifesaver. Usually within 5 minutes or
so our baby shows relief. They were recommended by our
pediatrician.
weslake
We have found that Boiron company makes a homeopathic teething
remedy that works better than the gel or tablets. It's
called ''Camilia''. It comes in a box and contains about twenty
or so little plastic vials. So the solution is in liquid form.
It's more expensive than the other stuff. At our health food
store it's about $10 a box. It just seems to be better quality
than anything else. We have used the Hyland's gel before
mealtime when teething is particularly nasty just to help our
daughter get through the meal. Our pediatrician doesn't
recommend the Baby Oragel be/c she says they don't know what's
in it.
Monika
I have used the Highland's colic tablets for my son since he was
4 months old. They worked great. He would stop crying after
about 15 minutes. I usually would only need to give him 4 or 6
tablets a day several times a month. Not all the time. That was
the only thing that worked for him. The drug store gas drops did
nothing for him.
I just recently picked up the Hylands teething tablets and the
gel. He let me apply the Hylands gel whereas he would not let me
apply the benzocaine gel. I am not sure if it helped him or not
but he did seem calmer later on.
I use the products sparingly so I am not concerned. I would
definitely recommend that you try it.
Yes to Hylands.
You'd be surprised what's in them. Are you OK with giving caffeine and
belladonna to your teething baby? Homeopathic remedies use small amounts,
but these over-the-counter tablets are not regulated the way Motrin or
Tylenol are, so you do need to have a lot of trust they've been mixed
correctly using the compounds they say are in there.
Here is the PDR Drug information for
HYLAND'S TEETHING TABLETS (manufactured by Standard Homeopathic)
From the online PDR: http://www.drugs.com/PDR/Hyland_s_Teething_Tablets.html
Active Ingredients:
Calcarea Phosphorica (Calcium Phosphate) 3X HPUS
Chamomilla (Chamomile) 3X HPUS
Coffea Cruda (Coffee) 3X HPUS
Belladonna 3X HPUS (Alkaloids 0.0003%).
Inactive Ingredients: Lactose N.F.
Calcium phosphate can be found in some cosmetic products, as well as many industrial chemicals and cements. It is poisonous in large doses. (google for more information)
Chamomile is derived from a plant, either Anthemus nobilis or Matricaria recutita. It has long
been used for its sedative effects. Since it is
a member of the diasy family, anyone allergic to this family, such as ragweed, should not
use it. (for more info see http://wilkes1.wilkes.edu/~kklemow/Matricaria.html)
Coffea Cruda is unroasted coffee (i.e., caffeine)
Belladonna is the Deadly Nightshade (Atropa belladonna). It is "one of the most toxic plants to be found in the Western hemisphere. Children have been poisoned by as few as three of the berries, and a small leaf thoroughly chewed can be a fatal dose for an adult. The root, however, is often the most toxic part, though this can vary from one specimen to another." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belladonna). Atropine, used to dilate pupils, comes from belladonna.
May 2003
My son 7 months old was fussy and didn't sleep at all last
night. So, I tried Hyland's Homeopathic Teething Tablets on
him. After few minutes, he calmed down and driffted off to
dream!!!! It was almost too good to be true. So, I went on to
search for some reviews on the product. Most of them say good
things but one thing said Belladonna that is one of the formula
of this product is poison. Does anyone know if this is safe for
a baby or not?
Thank you in advance
shoko
Both of my kids used them through teething and they are both fine. I think
that anything in excess is a problem but hylands is a well known company and
I don't think there is any issue of ''overdosing'' on belladonna when using their
products.
I too used the Hyland's Teething Tablets and had concerns about
the Belladonna listed in the ingredients. As I understand, it is
only a poison in large quantities. Since your child was soothed
so quickly, my advice would be to not rely TOO much (or TOO
often) on the Hyland's tablets - only using them as a last
resort. Try a pacifier placed in the freezer for a bit, frozen
blueberries, teething rings, etc during the day - and the tablets
when the going gets really tough in the evenings or at night.
Best to you. The teeth come and this too passes!!
Been there...
I had the same experience when my son was about your son's age, and I
researched it before giving it to him. Belladonna is poisonous in large
quantities, but as it turns out, in small quantities it's literally used to reduce
swelling in the gums! Hyland's tablets also have chamomile, which can also
make you sleepy. The tablets only put my son to sleep the first time I used
them, so I figured that it wasn't so much the ingredients in them as it was
the relief he felt from not being in pain anymore, and being exhausted from
crying and fussing, he just passed out. If you're really concerned about the
belladonna, though, Boiron tablets only have chamomille in them, and I
found them to be even more effective than the Hyland's, so you could
switch to those.
Jill
Homeopathic belladonna is NOT poisonous! Belladonna the plant is
known as deadly nightshade I think due to poisonous roots
(someone else will write in the details I suspect), but this
part definitely is not related to the remedy. Homeopathic
belladonna singly is one of the most commonly used remedies and
safe for babies as well.
My friend's son got into a bottle of hyland's teething tabs when
he was 2 and he had gobbled half the tabs in the bottle before
she saw. She called both poison control and a naturopath but as
it turned out she did not need to bring him to the emergency
room and there were no ill effects (but of course it's not a
good idea to let them have too many.)
I have been very greatful for teething tabs and glad to hear
they are helpful your teething babe! (Sometimes I put
homeopathic teething gel onto my toddler's toothbrush; she loves
it cuz it feels like she's getting lots of toothpaste like the
grownups and then she rests peacefully half an hour later!)
A Beautiful Lady
While the substances used in homeopathic remedies are often
toxic in physiologic amounts, when they are used homeopathically
they are in amounts that are often sub-molecular. Homeopathy is
an energetic medicine, meaning that it is the energy of the
substances (belladonna) that interacts with the energy of the
body (the ''vital force'') to have a healing effect. Because of
the miniscule (some would say non-existent) amounts of medicine,
there is virtually no toxicity associated with homeopathy, even
when an entire bottle is used at once (as my 10 year old once
did many years ago). Homeopathy is one of the more difficult
forms of medicine to understand and explain, but also one of the
most powerful. A good, easy to read book on the subject is
Everybodys Guide to Homeopathic Medicine, by Dana Ullman (who
lives in Berkeley). Even just looking at the first few pages
may clear things up for you.
Tara drtarand
Belladonna is indeed a very powerful poison. It is not true that
only the root is poisonous - it has a very long history of being fatal
when the leaves, berries, or root are ingested in large enough amounts.
For example, three berries from the plant are said to be enough to
kill a child.
You can confirm this for yourself by doing a google search, and then
reading the pages that are not supporting its use in homeopathic mixes.
The homeopathic teething tablets also contain caffeine, or at least the
Hyland's tablets do.
The homeopathic remedies claim that since they use only a small amount,
they are not harmful. However since these tablets & gels are not regulated, you have
no guarantee what's in them, or in what amount. You are just going
on faith. Why take the chance on
unregulated amounts of harmful substances when your
child can get pain relief from meds like Motrin that are proven to
be safe and whose preparation is monitored by the FDA?
not giving my baby belladonna or caffeine
Sept 2002
My 7 month old is having a terrible time with his top teeth coming in, and the
only thing that really really works well is Tylenol. My husband and I are
concerned about using it too much, however, because I know that it is not so
good for the body. I don't like having to give it to him every day, but nothing
else that I've tried, and believe me, I've tried everything else! has worked
even remotely as well, and he's in SO much pain. I know that the doctors say
every 4 hours ''as needed for pain'' but that just seems like too much to me.
How much Tylenol is too much Tylenol?
Thanks!
Jill
It's my understanding ibuprofen (Advil) isn't as toxic as
Tylenol, and you don't need to give it as often (6-8 hrs.
instead of every four). You might want to try it.
Fran
Too much Tylenol can be deadly: I can't tell you specifically
how much Tylenol is the right amount, but you are very right to
be concerned about giving too much.
Several years ago, Sixty Minutes did a story about several
families who had given their preschool-aged children Tylenol
over a period of many days to ease the symptoms of the flu.
What the parents did not know was that they were poisoning their
children, one of whom died from complications of Tyleonol
poisoning. The problem was that the parents were following
their children's doctor's advice on the dosage, but they were
giving their preschoolers the infant formula, which is more
concentrated than the children's formula. So, unwittingly, they
were overdosing their children. At that time, the concentration
was not indicated on the label.
Since that expose, the Tylonol packages are much more carefully
labelled. But it is really important to follow your physician's
counsel on the exact dosage needed and don't go even a tiny bit
over it. I must admit that I used to ''top off'' (add a tiny bit
over) on my daughter's meds (stupidly thinking that a little bit
more might help), but not any more!
Linda
If you can really isolate what is causing your child discomfort
and pain to the teething, then by all means give Tylenol in the
amounts recommended by the pediatrician or nurse. My own
philosophy is don't let your child be in pain when he/she
doesn't have to be, and if Tylenol is the only thing you've
found to work, use it. The maximum dosage in a 24-hour period
is written on the label. Obviously don't exceed that, but
sometimes having no pain for a full day by giving Tylenol
throughout the day is better than giving the dosage out
sparingly and having the pain continue to return (hospital
studies on adult patients have shown that less pain medication
is actually needed to control pain if the pain medication does
not wear off entirely between doses). Another thing I just
learned: My son's first molar just came through and that was
really painful for him. He even ran a 101 degree fever. Over
the phone and cognizant of all the symptoms, the pediatrician
recommended also giving Infant Motrin -- saying it worked
faster, sometimes helped teething pain better, lasted somehwat
longer, and could be alternated with the Tylenol dosage if his
fever came back before the next recommended dosage time. My
baby responded to Motrin by feeling much much better and having
his fever go down to normal. One other issue you might be
concerned about: You did not mention how many days in a row
your baby has teething pain. My son usually only needs Tylenol
or Motrin for a day or two per tooth just before or just as the
tooth is breaking through the gums, a lenght of time which to me
does not seem to be over medicating or causing concern for any
long-term medicating danger. Too many consecutive days of
medication might be worrisome, however, and worth a check with
your doctor. One more note: Have you seen the ''baby signing''
video of the 1 to 2 year old signing that she had tooth pain and
specifically asking for medicine ? (you can see it at
www.sign2me.com). So think of it this way: if Tylenol helps
your baby's tooth pain and your baby could ask you for it, your
baby probably would !
kb
I've always understood that it's nearly impossible to take a
dangerous overdose of Tylenol. But, that said, have you tried
ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin)? It often is more effective for
teething, and each dose lasts 6-8 hours instead of 4 -- which is
especially nice for nighttime!
Holly
I have heard from a number of moms (one from her pediatrician)
that you can alternate Tylenol and ibuprofen for pain related to
fever, colds, ear infections or teething - giving your child one
and then the other every 2-4 hours. I also hate to overmedicate
but when the pain is so intense, it seems mean to let them suffer
through it. I look at it like ''Would I take Tylenol for this for
myself?'' and the answer is usually yes. Your baby won't be
teething forever - though it feels like it now - so I think it's
better to make them comfortable at the time, knowing that you
won't give them medication for every little scrape and bump.
Double check with your pediatrician if you feel uncomfortable
with this advice.
Good Luck, a toddler's mama
The package says every 4-6 hours as needed, and that's safe,
even every day, if your son needs it. When the teething pain
passes, and it will, he won't need it anymore. This is what
Baby Tylenol is for. It's not like he'll be on it for an
extended period of time; if he's in pain, and it works for him,
give it to him!
Under the advice of our pediatrician, I even gave our daughter
Advil on top of the Tylenol a few times, when she was in so much
pain that the Tylenol didn't seem like enough, as he explained
that they come from different ''drug families'', and you can give
them together. Your husband's concern is well-intentioned; but
Tylenol is SAFE when you give it according to the package
instructions. Ahhh, the miracle of modern medicine...it's here;
use it!
Heidi
My child (now 20 months) also suffered from really painful
teething. It was agonizing to watch him in so much pain and he
refused virtually all the plastic teethers, partially frozen
rags, cold hard carrot slices, etc. You name it, we tried it,
multiple times. We tried all the homeopathic remedies, too. In
the end, I accepted that ibuprofen and tylenol were the only
things that really helped his pain and I gave them to him as
needed. My doctor said that 3 or 4 days of round-the-clock
dosing would not overload his liver. I don't know if she meant
that even longer would be okay or not. My son got relief and was
able to enjoy his baby life with dosing on schedule during the
day and a final dose of ibuprofen before bed (the ibuprofen
lasts 6 hours). You can get big bottles of them cheaply at
Costco. Usually I used just the ibuprofen, as it lasts longer.
On rare occasions, and never for more than a couple doses, he
was on ibuprofen and tylenol simultaneously. I wouldn't have
done this if I had found anything else that helped him, but I
really tried hard, and this was it.
Anomymous
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