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- $Unique_ID{BRK01492}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{Help For Parents of a Teething Baby}
- $Subject{teething baby digestive system irritability cranky gums drool chew
- suck child care mouth teeth gum babies irritable drooling chewing sucking
- tooth}
- $Volume{I-11,S-11}
- $Log{}
-
- Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
-
-
- Help For Parents of a Teething Baby
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-
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-
- QUESTION: Could you please help the parents of a teething baby? Our adorable
- daughter has turned cranky and difficult to deal with. This is our first baby
- and perhaps we are still a bit inexperienced, so any help you can give us
- would be so very much appreciated.
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- ANSWER: I am probably opening Pandora's Box in trying to answer this question
- for you, and will be rewarded with a flood of mail that tells me I am all
- wrong, but here goes anyway. You baby's irritability is the result of the
- swollen and painful gums that accompany the natural process of teething.
- Usually they drool a bit more, want to chew and suck a lot more to help reduce
- the discomfort and tenderness. You can help a bit by massaging the gums
- lightly with a finger, when time is available. Try to give your daughter
- something cool to suck on, like a teething ring that has been kept in the
- refrigerator for a while. There are some over the counter medications
- available, but I would check with your own doctor for his approval before
- using one. I don't approve of using a drop of whiskey for this indication,
- though I have heard of it. A hard biscuit or cookie can provide the child
- with something to chew away on, and in certain circles, mothers swear by stale
- bagels as the perfect solution to the problem.
-
- ----------------
-
- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
- the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
- doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
- problem.
-
-