While the process of teething is an exciting time for you, it can be miserable for your baby. Common signs of teething can include a runny nose and a low-grade fever, which mimic the symptoms of a cold and can start before you ever see evidence of a tooth coming in. This can make it difficult to determine if your child is actually sick or the symptoms are signs of new teeth. Fortunately, there are some other clues to help you differentiate between the two.
What's Coming Out
No parent likes to examine the things her baby produces, but paying attention to the color of the congestion coming from your baby's nose takes some of the guess work out of the process. If the drainage is yellow or green, there's a chance she's got an infection. Common drainage is usually light in color, or even clear. The most common teething symptom is diarrhea. If your baby's diarrhea seems to be getting worse -- three or more loose stools in a row, for example-- it may be more than simple teething symptoms and you should see a doctor.
Ear Trouble
Your baby may also be experiencing ear pressure or ear pain while teething. He may try to pull on his ears to relieve the pain and pressure buildup. This is also a telltale sign of an ear infection. If your baby is frequently pulling at his ears and has a fever, it could be pointing to an actual infection. With no fever, it may be teething symptoms. Again, see a physician.
Signs That Your Baby Is Teething
Additional teething symptoms include excessive drooling, red or swollen gums and chewing or biting objects to relieve gum pressure. Age is a big factor and while there's no set age at which babies start teething, the normal range is from 6 to 12 months. So if your 3-month-old is showing cold symptoms, chances are it's a cold.
Ways To Soothe
There are some things you can do to soothe your baby during this time. Teething rings or wet, frozen washcloths give your baby a cold and safe object to chew on. Not only will this relieve her gum pressure, the cold can numb the pain. You can also use the cool washcloth wrapped around your finger to massage your baby's gums. Over-the-counter medications such as teething gel can numb the gums, and you might also try age-appropriate pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. If nothing seems to help or your baby's symptoms get worse, take him to the doctor to rule out illness.
