Teething, Ear Infection or just the Funk?

holdn5 · March 2010

Stella has been drooling like crazy for weeks and she's been putting everything she can find in her mouth for weeks. The past three days she's been absolutely miserable. She won't play on her own, wants to be held and is just flat out grumpy (and I have a grumpy kid to begin with), but she's been screaming etc. She is running a slight fever too (99.6-100.4), but only seems to have the fever in the evenings.

It does look like her bottom gum is a little swollen and I think it looks white, but then I think I'm trying to talk myself into it looking white. I've read that most say they won't run a fever when they are teething so I keep second guessing myself and that maybe she has an ear infection or just a virus. She's not pulling at her ears at all.

Two questions: How long do I let it go until I call the pedi if the temp comes back? I don't want it to be an ear infection and I'm doing nothing about it. Second, what's your temperature limit before you give tylenol? I know it's personal preference, but I gave it to her last night when the temp was at 100.4, but I just read on the 3-6 board that some won't give it until they're at 101. Again, I know it's personal preference, but I almost feel guilty about giving the tylenol to her.

jturn · March 2010

Emma got a fever every time she was teething...she would have some as high as 101 or 102..I took her to the pedi every time because I was sure it was an ear infection, i didn't want to be the parent that rushes their kid in for every little thing...but i am..oh well. I gave her ibuprofen right before bed on the nights she had a fever...it got rid of the fever and the teething pain..her pedi said teething is much worse when they are laying down, so the grumpiness could be lack of sleep in addition to not feeling well. Em has never actually had an ear infection so i can't say for sure, but it does sound like all the teething stuff she went through

lemen99 · March 2010

Here is some info about fevers. months can be <100.4 deg. 3-6 months is up to 101 deg.

Andrew never had a fever with teething - maybe slightly warm at best (not really "fever". It doesn't mean it couldn't been teething since everyone is different.

Andrew showed a lot of teething signs at around Stella's age - but with fusiness with reflux, it's just hard to tell. He didn't actually get a tooth until 6 months! FWIW when teething, tylenol and motrin didn't really help at all

I did bring him in for ear checks after being fussy for a few days to confirm no ear infection. If her temp gets near 101 I'd for sure call the doctor and if she's fussy for a few days in a row I'd have him check her ears to rule that out for sure!

IndyWife06 · March 2010

Nick has had a lot of ear infections so my first instinct when I hear about increased fussiness is always to say, maybe the ears should be checked. Especially since there is a fever involved, I'd say it is worth a call to the pedi. It very well could just be teething but if it is her ears, you want to know about it.

As far as Tylenol, I tend to give it before bed when he has a fever so that he'll be able to sleep. I figure that rest is important to feeling better. When he was so sick last week, the ER doc said that if we think he is uncomfortable, not to worry about keeping him on Tylenol because he can't tell us if anything hurts.

Val&B0604 · March 2010

I've given tylenol with most fevers. I know this bad but I rarely take her temp, if I feel she's miserable I give her some. We go through spurts where we use it frequently and none at l all.

For ear infection, I am no help... L rubs her ears for comfort. Go with your gut, if you feel you should take her to the dr, then call. I took L once with her only symptom being a higher fever, 102-103, they checked her ears and said just to keep an eye on her but she seemed fine.

sarahann1941 · March 2010

I am a little more liberal with the tylenol than most people, but only because of her kidney issues I get on a fever of <100 with tyelnol. Sometimes if its a low fever I only give .4 instead of .8 and see if that brings it down.

After her seizure I rarely let a fever go <100 without some kind of tylenol and her pedi is the one that instructed me to do that.

It is personal preference but her pedi has convinced me that as long as its in the right dosage Tylenol can't hurt her. I was super stingy with it before her seizure but not anymore!

amstep · March 2010

In our house, if DS screams, we have an ear infection. I'd say call asap. I waited almost too long this last time and we were told by the doc to watch for a ruptured eardrum!?!

I'd rather you get to the doc and everything be fine and you feel a little silly than to wait too long like we did. It was awful, and we had to go on a strong antibiotic which ripped his digestive system to shreds!

Good luck!

lemen99 · March 2010

Also, I've thought Andrew had an ear infection in the past (fussy, pulling on ears) but he didn't. He just got his first one. I knew something was different when he was actually crying tears vs. just being fussy all the time. For us teething is more of a low level constant fussy whine.

beccabrad · March 2010

Val&B0604:

I've given tylenol with most fevers. I know this bad but I rarely take her temp, if I feel she's miserable I give her some. We go through spurts where we use it frequently and none at l all.

This. I also give Tylenol if she feels warm and is fussy. Usually within 30 min. of giving it she is back to being her happy self. With teething, I figure her gums are hurting her, so it's pain whether or not she has a fever so I give her tylenol.

From what you described, I'd venture to say it's teething. Another sign that K gets is chapped cheeks when she's teething.

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