Myth 4 - Teething causes ...
fever, diarrhea, vomiting or diaper rashes. Not true. Teething may cause some fussiness and nightwakenings in some children, but if your child has other symptoms, especially a high fever, then you should look for another cause, such as a viral infection, which are very common during the time that children's teeth are coming in.
Your child's first teeth will begin coming in between three and sixteen months (usually around six months). The two bottom front teeth will be the first to come in and this will be followed by the four upper teeth in four to eight weeks. Your child will continue to get new teeth until he has all twenty of his primary teeth when he is three years old, with most children getting about four new teeth every four months. In most children teething only causes increased drooling and a desire to chew on hard things, but in some it does cause mild pain and irritability and the gums may become swollen and tender. To help this you can vigorously massage the area for a few minutes or let him chew on a smooth, hard teething ring. Although most children do not need teething gels or treatment with acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain, you can use them if necessary.
Next > You must boil your water before preparing your infant's bottle of formula.
(c) 2001 by Vincent Iannelli, M.D. (http://pediatrics.about.com), licensed to About.com, Inc. Used by permission of About.com, Inc., which can be found on the Web at www.about.com. All rights reserved.
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