Fevers and Teething

Most of my kids ran low grade fevers when cutting teeth. I pushed fluids, Tylenol and lots of love. Watch for signs of ear infection, but it should pass.

SAHM of seven

You would be amazed what happens to your child when they are getting teeth. If he is only running a low grade fever, you and he are lucky.. My first child started getting teeth when he was 4 1/2 months old and he had all his teeth, molars and all by the time he was 15 months. He was sick non stop with colds, sinus, ear infections, allergies, anything you can think of. It was all because of his teeth. My 2nd, she started getting teeth when she was 6 1/2 months and just finally got her last molar and she will be 3 in Aug. She never got ear infection but she got a cold, or a fever, or just really, really, moody when she got her teeth. And now my 3rd, she is 9 months and has 4 teeth. She has had 2 ear infections, and seems like none stop runny nose, lots of druling, head colds. Has run a fever only once. This never started until she started getting teeth.
Just try and keep him confortable and let him chew on things.

He could have a little virus on top of the teething. Fever is good-it's his immune system working. When the fever is high and he is uncomfortable you can give the tylenol/ibuprofen rotating it every 3 hours. So technically he would be getting tylenol every 6 and ibuprofen every 6, but you will be giving him something every 3. Make sense? I am an ER nurse and that is how we usually tell parents to do things. My guess would be that he has a little viral infection. I have seen a lot of fever the past few days and it is all viral. If he stops eating/drinking, is throwing up, has a lot of diarrhea or the fever does not come down with the meds have him re-evaluated. Good Luck!

Since fevers are a normal part of teething, you should stop medicating him. Un-medicated, a baby will run a fever for a day or less and be done with it. Medication prolongs the experience as the fever that is inside him never has the chance to burn off.

Around the world babies have fevers... regardless of the reason for it, a fever will stimulate a child's natural immune system. If you try to control a fever you will surely prolong it and make its symptoms more pronounced.

My kids have had fevers without meds all their lives. We use cool cloths, a fan and cold beverages to keep them comfortable until it passes.

very normal to have fevers with teething. you just want to make sure that the fever does not get too high, you are already following dosage recomendations. I feel for you though, my little boy is having fevers, luckily that is the only symptom.

I don't know that it's necessarily normal, but my son ran an off and on fever for almost two weeks (never real high, and it didn't really bother him except that he was cranky--he was NOT lethargic at all), stopped eating solids, which made him spit up and throw up his liquids (he was playing hard), and, since it was almost all dairy, gave him diarrhea, which gave him diaper rash...and I think he had a reddish rash on his belly too! He was an awful, awful teether, but the minute those molars popped through, he was fine. That was for one set of molars; the next set was not quite as bad, but definitely worse than his other teeth (and those were bad!). Hope he feels better soon!!

Fever is just one of many symptoms that can be associated with teething. Both my boys ran fevers when they were trying to cut teeth, even when it took awhile for the darn tooth to poke thru! I wouldn't worry too much about it. I just gave my boys Tylenol for the pain and let the teething run it's course.

Hi M.! Fevers with teething are totally normal! He could have a virus but my kids have always gotten a fever with teething. I would hold off giving meds. Instead, I would do Hyland's teething tablets for pain relief. Those things are amazing! The fever will soon resolve itself.
As far as how long it will last...who knows? My daughter took about 8 days to get her molars through (I remember because she woke approx. 12 times per night during that time) and then it was done. I only used tylenol when the teething tabs were not enough because I hate to use meds for any length of time. I also hate to see my kids in pain but there are alot of things you can do to soothe them.
Hang in there! This too shall pass! If you feel better about taking him in to the Dr. then go for it! We can have all sorts of opinions but in the end....you have to do what you are comfortable with.
ps. teething and fevers are not a myth....a bajillion mothers can't be wrong ;)

M.,

I doubt, very much, if a fever for a week is caused by teething...especially when it got up to 102. He probably has a bug along with his teething. I'm not saying you can't run a low grade fever with teething, but probably not this long or this high.

If it keeps up, I would suggest that you take him back to the doctor, just to make sure.

Hopefully it goes away soon!

C.

As scared as I was my son loved to run high fevers and get the runs while teething. His last set of teeth before his 2 year molers, he ran 104 for 5 straight days. When I called the nurses they said if you are sure it is JUST teething that was very common. IF no cough, sneezing, watery eye's or any other symptoms. Yes, 104 for 5 days can happen. I was not very calm about that high of a fever but I watched him like a hawk and yes it was only his teeth.

A fever over 101º isnt teething. There must be something else going on with him. You can find that out by looking in your book that you got from the hospital if you got one. My son started to get his molars in awhile ago and never ran a fever and never has with teething. Im sure that there is another problem causing this and it could jsut be viral. My son had a fever for 3 days as high as 102.9º and nothing came of it, it was just viral so that could be the same thing that is going on with your little one.

The doctor is wrong. Fevers and teething do not go hand in hand. It is a myth. Especially a fever that high. I would get him checked out again. Good luck.