orajel

This is a biggie to address: teething gel! When your little babe or toddler is screaming with what appears to be teething pain, and your dad suggests rubbing a little whiskey on it, you respond: “They have oral gel for this nowadays, Dad!” But is that gel safe? Last year a number of warnings came out about benzocaine, the primary agent in oral baby teething gels, and the prognosis was not so great. 1) FDA & AAP warnings. “The FDA has learned that benzocaine products can cause a serious life-threatening condition known as methemoglobinemia. Methemoglobinemia (MET-hemoglobin) is a condition where there is a build-up of methemoglobin in the blood, which reduces the ability of the blood to transport oxygen throughout the body. ” Baby411. “The FDA says benzocaine products should not be given to children younger than age 2 unless under the supervision of a health care professional. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends giving children with teething problems a teething ring that has been chilled in a refrigerator, or gently rubbing the child’s gums with a finger.” Read more specifics of the FDA warning here. 2) Alternatives. A few articles from the Whole Parenting past: teething at night {Toddler Night Sleep Trouble} & teething {Teething Pain in Young Children}. And a few ideas: a) a great teething biscuit recipe here from Weelicious!; b) frozen breastmilk in cubes in a mesh feeder; c) warm washcloth; d) cold washcloth; e) teething rings in freezer/ pacifier in fridge or freezer; f) toys like Sophie the French giraffe that are…