Monday, March 1, 2010

Apperance Of Milk-teeth in toddlers - notes p2

The kid frequently thrusts its fingers, or any thing within its grasp, into its mouth. Its thirst is increased, and it takes the breast more often, though , from the tender state of the gums, for shorter periods than normal. It is fretful and twitchy ; and unexpected fits of crying and occasional beginning from sleep, with a slight disposition to barfing, and even looseness of the guts, aren't uncommon. Many of those symptoms frequently predate the appearance of the tooth by a few weeks, and indicate that what's called "breeding the teeth" is happening. In such cases, the symptoms vanish in a couple of days, to reappear again when the tooth approaches the outside of the gum.

Treatment:- The management of the child in this situation is extremely simple, and rarely calls for the interference of the medical attendant. The kid should be much in the open air, and well exercised : the guts should be kept freely open with castor oil ; and be always softly relaxed at this time. Cold sponging employed daily, and the outside of the body rubbed dry with as coarse a flannel as the delicate skin of the kid will bear ; friction being terribly handy.

The breast should be given regularly but not for long at a time ; the thirst will so be reduced, the gums kept damp and relaxed, and their irritation eased, without the belly being overloaded. The ma must also meticulously attend, at this time, to her very own health and diet, and avoid all stimulant food or drinks.

From the instant dentition starts, force on the gums will be revealed to be acceptable to the kid, by numbing the sensibility and dulling the discomfort. For this reason coral is mostly employed, or a chunk of orris-root, or scraped liquorice root ; a flat ivory ring is far safer and better, for there is not any danger of its being thrust into the eyes or nose.

Mild friction of the gums, also, by the finger of the nurse, is enjoyable to the child ; and, as it appears to have some effect in allaying irritation, might be often resorted to. In France, it is much the practice to dip the liquorice-root, and other substances, into honey, or powdered sugar-candy ; and in Germany, a little bag, containing a mix of sugar and spices, is given to the child to suck, whenever it is fretful and nervous during teething. The continual use of sweet and exciting ingredients must do injury to the gut, and renders their work extraordinarily objectionable.

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