Signs of teething

Some lucky parents find that their baby does not exhibit any signs of teething. However, the majority find teething to be a major event. This is especially true for the first teeth that a baby cuts. As the infant develops subsequent teeth, it generally becomes easier for baby and for mother.

There are many potential signs that teething has begun. It is possible that you may notice only a few of these signs, or you may notice all of them.

• Drooling. Most babies drool when they are teething. It can be quite astounding how much drool a baby can develop. The amount of drool can be so extreme that your baby's top may be soaked. Drooling can even begin a few months prior to the actual tooth breaking through. Note that drooling can also be caused by the development of the salivary glands in your baby's mouth. In this case, a young infant does not yet have the instinct to swallow the saliva so it simply spills out. This is particularly common in younger babies at around 8 weeks of age. However, if you notice the drool accompanied by a few of these other signs, your baby may be teething.

• Red cheeks or rash. The constant drool can cause a red rash around the lips or chin. This rash goes away once the excessive drooling subsides. Similarly, many babies get very red and irritated looking cheeks soon (days) before the teeth are about the cut. This rash tends to be short-lived and goes away once the teething subsides. It is best not to apply any creams or salves to minimize the rash. It will go away on its own.

• Coughing. Teething babies may cough a lot from the extra saliva they are generating. These coughs can be disconcertiing to parents as it can sound like your baby is choking. It is also possible that your baby is sick instead of teething. Cold related coughs are often accompanied by a mucousy nose.

• Sucking or chomping. Babies who are teething will generally try to put things in their mouth to suck or chew on. The pressure of chewing on something helps to counter the pressure of the teeth coming through. Sucking or gnawing on fingers, hands, blankets, stuffed animals, plastic spoons, even nipples is common during teething. Of course, with all this gnawing comes more drool!

• Fussiness/ Irritability. It is very common for a baby who is teething to be fussy. This can manifest in crying, pushing away from you, having trouble getting comfortable, etc. The fussiness can ebb and flow throughout the day and is generally worse in the evening hours.

• Pulling on ears. Teething babies will often pull on their ears or cheeks. This is an expression of trying to push at or move away the discomfort they are experiencing in their gums. Some have noted that the pulling on the ears associated with teething accompanies breast feeding in infants. It is important to clarify that your baby is not pulling on their ears due to ear infection. If ear pulling is associated with fever, check with your pediatrician.

• Disturbed sleep. Even if your baby is already sleeping through the night, you may find that sleep patterns change during teething. Babies often wake up much more by the discomfort of teething. They will likely need to be calmed back to sleep. Nursing (if the baby is young and still in the pattern of nursing at night), rubbing her back, and singing to her are all good ways to try to calm your baby from night wakefullness.

• Clinginess. It is not uncommon for a baby or child to becomes clingier and in greater need of attention while teething. For some babies this might manifest as needing more frequent breast feeding or contact/cuddle time. For others, it may manifest in separation anxiety- where the baby is fearful and fussy anytime their mother leaves their sight. If you experience this, do not despair. It will pass once your baby is done teething.

• Feeding Strike. One of the most dramatic signs that a baby is teething is their resistance to eating. This sign can be extremely upsetting for a mother. The sucking motion can irritate the gums even more for a teething baby. As a result, the baby will reject the breast and the bottle alike. You may find that your baby can tolerate little bits of milk more frequently but is unlikely to want to eat as much as before. Or he may begin to feed and then turn away in frustration or pain. Contact your peditrician if it lasts for more than a 4 days or so. It is important that your baby continues to have regular wet diapers. Note: Some mothers find that their babies want to nurse all the time when they are teething. It is likely that some babies crave the comfort and distract of breastfeeding.

• Low-grade fever. Some babies experience low grade fevers when they are teething. This fever is likely the body's way of working through these physiological changes.

• Diarrhea. Although many peditrcians will deny it, many moms swear that their babies get loose or watery stools during teething. Given the amount of drool and possible skin tissue that the infant is swallowing, this does make sense.

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