The pain of teething often keeps both babies and their parents up at night. Teething babies may suffer from fevers, irritability and extreme gum pain. Many parents are willing to try anything to help their child through this painful stage, including ice cream. Ice cream, however, is generally not a healthy choice for a teething baby. There are several much better symptom-relievers.
Ice Cream Sugar
Most ice cream contains large quantities of processed sugar. Sugar is not good for children, especially young babies. Sugar also causes tooth decay, and baby teeth are especially susceptible to decay. Even when sugar does not cause long-term gum and tooth problems, it may increase tooth sensitivity.
Long-Term Nutrition
Pediatrician and author William Sears argues that the first few years of a child's life are critical for determining her nutritional preferences. Children whose parents give them sugary foods are more likely to crave these foods as adults. Over time, this may cause obesity, malnutrition, tooth decay and chronic health problems. If you avoid giving your child ice cream and other sugary foods, he may not want them as an adult.
Ice Cream Temperature
Cold temperatures dull the pain of teething, so it's understandable that parents might turn to ice cream. However, ice cream is too cold for most babies to eat. Babies don't know how to eat ice cream in a way that prevents ice cream headaches. A child who eats ice cream may experience a headache that actually makes the pain of teething worse.
Better Remedies
There are several excellent teething remedies that work much better than ice cream. Gum-numbing gel for babies is available at most drug stores and can almost completely numb the pain of teething. However, use this product only at your pediatrician's direction. Hard teething biscuits and cool teething rings also help with teething pain. You can also use an unsweetened fruit popsicle as an alternative to ice cream. Ensure that there is no frost on the popsicle and allow 5 to 10 minutes for it to cool outside of the freezer before giving it to your baby. Always supervise your baby when you give her food, especially popsicles.
References
- "The Portable Pediatrician"; William Sears, et al.;2011
- "Caring For Your Baby and Young Child, 5th Edition"; American Academy of Pediatrics; 2009
- "Health, Safety and Nutrition for the Young Child"; Lynn R. Marotz; 2011
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