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Often times, mothers think that fever in babies is caused because the baby is growing, teething for example. Teething in babies is indeed a painful thing for babies. Babies become uncomfortable with themselves, become more crybaby, and fussy. Sometimes, fever can accompany teething symptoms in babies. However, is it true that babies must have a fever when teething? Or is there something else that caused it?
Fever when teething, will it happen?
It turns out that this is just a myth. There are no facts or studies that show that fever can occur in teething babies. Prof. Melissa Wake, a researcher with the Center for Community Child Health at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne, also conducted research on this subject in the 1990s. The results from the study said that babies did not experience a significant increase in temperature when they were teething.
However, fever during teething in babies may occur. This is not due to teething, but rather because the baby has an external infection that causes the baby to have a fever. The presence of germs or bacteria that enter the baby's body can cause infection, so fever appears as a response from the body to fight foreign substances.
Teething in babies usually starts at 4 to 7 months of age and ends at approximately 24 months of age. At this age, usually babies are having fun learning about new things. Whatever is in his hand can enter the baby's mouth. Babies can bite or lick any object to soothe their teething gums. In fact, these objects may contain germs and bacteria. This allows germs and bacteria to enter the baby's body, causing the baby to become sick with fever, diarrhea, or runny nose.
What are the signs that a baby is teething?
It has been explained above that fever is not a sign of a teething baby. Then, what can indicate that the baby is teething? The following are common signs of teething babies, namely:
- Often drooling
- Swollen or red gums
- Babies get angry easily
- Babies are more fussy and cry more than usual
- Babies have trouble sleeping
- Babies are often seen trying to bite, chew, or suck on something
- Babies love rubbing their faces
- Babies lack appetite
- Babies love to rub their ears
- There are teeth visible under the gums
If your baby shows some of these signs, it is likely that your baby is teething. These signs can last only a few days, when baby teeth really appear new. However, babies who are teething sometimes don't show any signs or symptoms. Thus, it may be difficult for a mother to know when her baby starts teething before the teeth actually appear.
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