What can I do to help my toddler through teething?

A toddler who is teething can be miserable. Here are a few suggestions to help your toddler get through this time.

Many children get through teething with only minor discomfort. Many have extreme discomfort along with a host of other symptoms.  Your child is teething if you notice incessant drooling, swollen sensitive gums, biting and sleep disturbances, along with a refusal to eat and crankiness.

To ease the pain and discomfort of teething, provide your child with things he can chew on such as frozen teething toys, hard baby toast, or a cold washcloth. Make sure that whatever you give them is not small enough to be a choking hazard.

You can also use a number of over the counter remedies such as a topical pain relief gel or teething tablets. If your child needs additional help, you can administer small doses of children’s pain reliever that contains paracetamol. (Never give your child aspirin. Aspirin is associated with Reye’s syndrome which can be a life threatening condition.)

Lastly, when your child is teething and drools a lot, the drool may cause a rash on their face that can be painful. Make sure that you use a very soft cotton cloth to blot away the drool. If needed, you can put petroleum jelly on the rash before your child goes to sleep.