“All that homeopathic teething stuff, I don’t recommend. Teething medicine is not recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics because it can be absorbed into the blood stream and can cause problems including seizures. “If it’s truly a bad a couple nights, you can give your baby a dose of infant acetaminophen before bed. “Teething biscuits, I don’t like at all. A big chunk can break off and then there’s a huge chunk of biscuit in your baby’s mouth that can cause choking. Then there are old-fashioned tricks like rubbing the gums with brandy; the alcohol can be absorbed, and so that’s not a good thing to do. Teething necklaces — I don’t like those because I don’t like anything around a baby’s neck ever. I know that they’re made not to break, but if it did and one bead comes off, it’s a choking hazard. I’d rather not have that around.” — Lauren Levine, MD, pediatrician at ColumbiaDoctors and assistant clinical professor of pediatrics at Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY “Cold teething rings are fine. Some kids like to chew on a wet washcloth that you put into freezer — just for a few minutes, not so long it feels like a rock. Some kids like those soft teething rings, whether warm or cold. It’s a little trial and error to be honest. “If your child seems uncomfortable, there’s no reason not to give pain medications. I’m sure everyone has their own tricks. But be careful about inspecting any teething toy — anything your child puts in his mouth really — to be sure there is integrity of the object, so that the contents aren’t leaking out or that it’s not falling apart. You want to be careful about that. “I haven’t seen in my practice any emergency situation that’s occurred [from] standard teething toys. No child has come in with toxic effects from a teething toy. It’s worth noting that some kids who do suck on really frozen things can get cold panniculitis — an area of redness on outside of cheek near corner of mouth. It’s transient and harmless, just a local reaction in skin from being cold. But it can look very dramatic. “Avoid teething tablets that have belladonna in them — they can be toxic to the heart.” — Christina Johns, MD, MEd, FAAP, senior medical advisor, PM Pediatrics, Lake Success, NY
title: “What Objects Can My Baby Chew To Relieve Teething Pain " ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-09” author: “Mike Dillon”
“All that homeopathic teething stuff, I don’t recommend. Teething medicine is not recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics because it can be absorbed into the blood stream and can cause problems including seizures. “If it’s truly a bad a couple nights, you can give your baby a dose of infant acetaminophen before bed. “Teething biscuits, I don’t like at all. A big chunk can break off and then there’s a huge chunk of biscuit in your baby’s mouth that can cause choking. Then there are old-fashioned tricks like rubbing the gums with brandy; the alcohol can be absorbed, and so that’s not a good thing to do. Teething necklaces — I don’t like those because I don’t like anything around a baby’s neck ever. I know that they’re made not to break, but if it did and one bead comes off, it’s a choking hazard. I’d rather not have that around.” — Lauren Levine, MD, pediatrician at ColumbiaDoctors and assistant clinical professor of pediatrics at Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY “Cold teething rings are fine. Some kids like to chew on a wet washcloth that you put into freezer — just for a few minutes, not so long it feels like a rock. Some kids like those soft teething rings, whether warm or cold. It’s a little trial and error to be honest. “If your child seems uncomfortable, there’s no reason not to give pain medications. I’m sure everyone has their own tricks. But be careful about inspecting any teething toy — anything your child puts in his mouth really — to be sure there is integrity of the object, so that the contents aren’t leaking out or that it’s not falling apart. You want to be careful about that. “I haven’t seen in my practice any emergency situation that’s occurred [from] standard teething toys. No child has come in with toxic effects from a teething toy. It’s worth noting that some kids who do suck on really frozen things can get cold panniculitis — an area of redness on outside of cheek near corner of mouth. It’s transient and harmless, just a local reaction in skin from being cold. But it can look very dramatic. “Avoid teething tablets that have belladonna in them — they can be toxic to the heart.” — Christina Johns, MD, MEd, FAAP, senior medical advisor, PM Pediatrics, Lake Success, NY
