[Bipolar mom]

My son is showing symptoms that he is getting his 2 year molars. He has been irritable, drooling, congested, and last night screamed from midnight till about 6 am abut his booboo teeth. I felt so helpless, he wouldn't let me even close to his mouth.

Besides ibprophin does anyone have any other remedies I can try. I had to call in sick to work today at my new job because he won't let me put him down and he refused to go to daycare ( they won't take him with a low grade fever anyway)

Normal things we would use like frozen teethi rings aren't working, and I don't like baby orejel. Any other suggestions?

[KathyM]

It appears to me you've done all you can do as a mom. It's a very tough phase for both of you (I remember it well with my own son). From what I remember, it doesn't last very long. It only seems that way because of the intensity. Hopefully, the molars will break through soon. Once they break through, the pain typically goes away.

It's an extremely trying time that can wear on the nerves of the best of mothers. When my son was that age, I worked for a pediatric cardiologist. I had become friends with one of the mothers because our children were born at the same time, and it was fun comparing milestones. The only difference was her daughter had a small heart defect, otherwise healthy.

I had spent several days trying to comfort my son during his molar teething at a time when my friend's daughter needed a cardiac cath to determine the size of the hole in her heart, to see whether or not she needed surgery. Everyone thought it was a small hole, but it turned out to be huge - and she died during the exam. It was a shock to everyone.

The family gathered back at our office, and we all cried together - family, staff, doctors and nurses.

After work, I picked my son up from his sitter. He was having a particularly rough day, and he wailed in his carseat all the way home. It was the sweetest sound to me because I knew it was a natural, normal, and necessary developmental stage we'd be able to get through together.

Hang in there, mom.

[yellowted]

pour boiling water over some whole cloves, leave it to cool, remove the cloves and let him drink the 'juice' cloves are a natural anaesthetic and will numb the mouth and gums.

same 'juice' can be frozen into lollipops/ popsicles and is just as effective

you can add the 'juice' to orange juice or cordial/dilute pop or add plain sugar to make it more pallatable for your child if necessary.

[Bipolar mom]

Thank you yellowted... Great advise I will try it out.

And Kathym thank you for your inspirational story, so sad to hear about your friends daughter.