Toddler

Thought you were done with teething? Sadly, no. Somewhere between your child’s first and third birthdays, eight molars will be breaking through. And if a sharp little incisor made your baby miserable, just think what a big square molar can do!

Some children do sail through teething with very little trouble. For others, it’s a few days of drooling, irritability and perhaps picky eating (it may feel good to bite down on the sore places, or it may hurt and put them off eating).

At the other end are the children who really suffer. They may cry off and on through the day because of the pain, and have a broken, miserable sleep at night.

If your child will let you touch his mouth, you may be able to confirm that the molars are about to break through by feeling the swollen bumps in his gum, says Peter Nieman, a Calgary paediatrician.

What helps? Nieman says chewing a cold teething ring or washcloth can help by easing the inflammation. For the same reason, he says ibuprofen (Children’s Motrin) is more effective than acetaminophen — both relieve pain and fever, but “ibuprofen has better anti-inflammatory properties.” It’s important not to exceed the recommended dosage, and some children will only need painkillers at night, to help everyone sleep.

Originally published in Today's Parent, August 2007