My 18 month old (soon to be 19 month old) has had a triple whammy this week. He got a cold, followed by the stomach flu, and now appears to be teething something fierce. In all his life I have never seen him this miserable. The only two things that REALLY help are nursing and napping--he's taking 2 naps on some of these bad days.
All the other tricks like cold cloths and things to bite on are moot: he won't put anything in his mouth. He won't eat much and he's impossible in terms of mood.
Anyone else go through this with their approx. 18 mo old, and how long did it last?
Thanks all for your feedback. The teeth broke through, the fever went away (it was only ever 99 or thereabouts), and he's back to his old self. The only real answer seemed to be motrin and tylenol. The teething tabs just couldn't cut it this round. Thanks so much, though!! You all helped me feel less alone.
I used Hyland's Teething Tablets and they worked like magic. This was a very long time ago as my kids are grown up now, but it worked. I recommend it all the time to parents!
http://www.hylands.com/products/teething.php
I got at the local health food store.
My boys are WAY past teething now, but I do remember feeling so helpless some days! I finally broke all of the rules :O)
I was a Hylonds teething tablet mom, and also used Motrin. And when those really bad days came, I pulled out the regular doses of Motrin around the clock and also gave 1 teething tablet every hour. I only gave the teething tablets every hour for 24 hours, then went back to the regular dose.
Anyway, it seems a little extreme probably :O) but it worked for me and them. I never had to take them to the ER for an overdose to teething tablets :O)
Teething was the hardest thing to figure out for me.....and it lasted FOREVER! My 7 yr old FINALLY got his back molers in last month.....he was sick the week before.....teething! :O) It's never-ending.
Finding their symptoms early and relieving their discomfort is "key" with teething and saves on those icky moods.
I hope you are able to find something that works for you.
~N. :O)
I would check his tempurature just to be safe, if he is running 103 or higher it's usually a sign of a more virulent infection, and in that case I would take him in.
I know that some people use Aloe Vera for pain. You can research it online.
I think when kids have a cold, they're miserable. Add teething on top of that, and you've got the perfect storm.
I've found that the good old standby of motrin followed 2 hours later by tylenol works wonders. At least it keeps the teething pain somewhat at bay so they can get enough to eat and drink. If he is a bit dehydrated from stomach flu AND not wanting to put anything in his mouth, he may also have a nasty headache. The tylenol/motrin will help with that.
Good luck and hang in there.
J.,
Totally feeling your pain! My 17 mos old daughter is going through the same thing in almost the exact same order! Stomach flu followed by cold and now the teething. I looked in her mouth the other day and her (what I think are) two year molars have cut on top and her gums on the bottom look like they are going to explode. Tylenol and Motrin have been our best friends and the only way we are getting any sleep. we have been in hell for two weeks now. Wish I had a good answer as to how much longer it will last- can't wait for those bottom teeth to cut- Her temp finally broke yesterday so we are hoping we are almost done. Good luck- hang in there and you are so not alone!!!
M.
Dear J.,
I really feel for you and your little guy.
The poor little thing probably just feels absolutely lowsy and if YOU are wondering how long this is going to last, just imagine how HE feels about it. He doesn't understand that a cold will go away, the tummy flu will go away and the teething won't last forever.
Try the teething tablets and be sure that you are giving him Motrin around the clock. Don't wake him up to give it to him, but if the dosage is x amount every 4-6 hours (or whatever), give it to him every 4 hours. That will help with teething pain and any other achiness he feels.
He probably doesn't want anything in his mouth because it hurts or he associates it with his stomach being upset. Don't worry about him not being hungry, but do try to get some water in him. See if he will suck on a frozen juice bar. Try to see if he'll take some warm tea from a sippy. His appetite will come back when he's feeling a little better.
I teethed both of my children on jerky and I highly recommend it. I bought it at Costco, the thick chunks that come in a big bag, either beef or turkey.
The pieces are big enough so they can hold them and chomp on them without breaking any off and it has flavor which my kids really liked. When a piece gets slobbery and soft, just throw it out. We always kept it in the diaper bags too.
All my friends who couldn't find anything that worked tried jerky and it worked for them as well. You just want to be sure to get the really thick kind that isn't heavily peppered.
Give him lots of love and cuddles and just know that when little ones don't feel good, sometimes there really is nothing that will make them happy. You just have to ride it out and keep them as comfortable as possible until it passes. And, it will pass.
Best of luck and wishes!
When my son got his first molars around 15 months, he was absolutely miserable. I called the doctor and she recommended alternating tylonel and motrin and using Baby Orajel. It definitely helped. The first night (when we just did motrin) was the worst, and it got better each night. After the first day or so, if I remember right, I only gave him motrin during the day if he seemed to be in pain (maybe at naptime?) and at bedtime. We used the orajel at nighttime, and maybe naptime, too. I had always used Hyland's teething tablets before, but they didn't work for him this time around. My son's reaction was different with every single tooth that came in. This was by far the worst, but luckily, it didn't seem to last too long.
Good luck, and I hopoe you're little guy is feeling better soon!
If he is that uncomfortable he should be checked by his pediatrician. Could be an ear infection or sore throat or canker sores in his mouth,etc. Also if there is any fever he should be checked. There should not be any significant fever from teething. If a teething child has a fever, it is usually due to some other problem. I'm a pediatrician and I've seen this many times.
Good luck. The teething will pass!
Jerry
Try Hyland's teething gel and tablets. They work really well for my daughter. I tried Oragel on my gums and hated how it caused so much numbness and it stings too. Never used it on my baby for that reason.
Your baby may also have painful ears secondary to the teething. If he has a fever of 101, or more, I would have a doc look at him to assess his ears and throat. There may be something more than teething going on.
Hope he feels better soon. It's hard on the whole family.
Good luck.
