Judah has been teething again. It has been months since the last time he got any teeth. He occasionally wakes up from time to time during the night complaining about his teeth.
Being up at night brings back memories of last year at this time. For four months we were up during the night with ear infections. Right before we got tubes in his ears last February, we were up at least seven times a night. Needless to say, we were up all night and slept during most days. Thankfully tubes brought immediate relief to our weariness.
Symptoms of ear infections are hard to diagnose and so often are similar in nature to teething: fussiness, irritability, excessive chewing, fever, runny nose, and the list goes on. Kids wake up during the night because laying on their sore ears makes them uncomfortable. Likewise, teething can also wake up a child who might experience some discomfort from pain. So how do you tell them apart?
The key to tell the difference between teething and ear infections (or colds) is determining the effectiveness of regular pain medicine.
Our pediatrician taught us this valuable tip during those months of little sleep that we still use to this day. For teething, you should be able to give the correct dose of Tylenol for your child and it will help ease the pain all night long, allowing them to sleep soundly. For ear infections, your child will still wake up in time for the next dose a few hours later.
This has been the best way for us to tell if Judah is teething or simply has a cold even when all symptoms seem the same. So often you are too tired to clearly explain the extra fussiness of your child. Try this yourself (with doctors permission for Tylenol) and if your child is still needing the Tylenol every few hours, then most likely you need to make a trip to the doctor.
From one mom to another, hope you find some rest soon!
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