Two year-old molars

[LiamsMum]

Can anyone tell me if they've experienced problems with 2 yr old molars coming through? My ds is 26 months and has always been a very regular, routined sleeper who hardly ever wakes during the night. Even when he started teething, he became a bit irritable but it never disturbed his sleep. Over the last week I've seen him touch his ear a couple of times and then one night last week, he woke up at 3.00am, then 4.00am and once more after that. For a start this is very unusual for him, but he also seemed very distressed - he grabbed my hand and held it and didn't want me to leave the room. He was fine again for a few nights and then last night he was doing the same "distressed" cry - it's different to how he usually sounds if he happens to wake up. I'm trying to work out what the problem is so I felt around in his mouth this morning.. his gums up the top are fine, but on the bottom they feel swollen at the back on both sides. I suppose I'm taking a stab in the dark, but could this be causing him problems? Would appreciate hearing from anyone who's been through something like this. Thank you..

[robinw]

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[Ghosty]

LiamsMum - Is your son my son by any chance? We have had the exact same thing recently. In fact ever since ds turned 2 we have had some strange changes in his sleep. I put it down to big upheavals in our lives (recently moved to NZ) but the other day he actually told me that his mouth was sore. I looked into his mouth and noticed that 2 of his molars (bottom) were through and that the top left was swollen. A couple of weeks later a molar was through on that side and then last week we had the exact same problem with his sleep. I looked in his mouth at the weekend and hey presto the last side is swollen and tender! I like you am hoping that this is the reason and that once that tooth is through peace will reign once more in our house!
robinw is right of course - check out those ears just in case! The reason I am sure that our ds hasn't got an ear infection is that he is susceptible to them and I know the signs for him - he normally has a temp and vomits and it doesn't go away whereas the tooth pain comes and goes. It might be different for your ds.
(Sorry for the waffle!)

[Willow2]

Definitely sounds like teething to me - the worst nights I've had so far have been with pre-molars and molars. If you don't mind medication, Calpol OR Medised help and can be combined with Neurofen if the pain is really acute. Your pharmacist will be able to confirm maximum doses.
Also, chilled carrots are great for them to bite on to help numb the gums - and they don't melt away like Calgel!

[bundle]

Liamsmum, I agree with the advice given - plus I dab a bit of Anbesol on dd's gums - it's for adults but fine for 2 yr olds too - it's a liquid and has more of a 'hit' than eg bonjela

[LiamsMum]

Thanks Ghosty & robinw. Can I ask an ignorant question? Are the 2 yr old molars right at the very back of the mouth? Ghosty I'm glad in a way that your ds is doing a similar thing, at least it's not just me!! We recently had overseas relatives staying with us for five weeks and ds' sleeping pattern seemed to change slightly towards the end of their stay. He used to wake up around 7.30am like clockwork, but now it can be anywhere between 6.30 and 8.00am. Also, most of the time he will go to bed easily, but a couple of times recently he has cried & carried on for a while before going to sleep. Perhaps it's the age, perhaps it's teeth - who knows. I don't think it's an ear infection at this stage (he's actually never had one so I'm not sure of the signs), but he doesn't have a temperature and he seems ok apart from being unsettled. I just hope that things go back to normal soon.

[LiamsMum]

Thanks also Bundle & Willow2 - appreciate all the advice I can get!

[Jasper]

Liamsmum, yes, right at the back of the mouth (fifth from the front)

[robinw]

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[robinw]

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[LiamsMum]

lol robinw... it's easy to misplace your brian these days.
Anyway I think ds has been feeling a bit worn out, he slept for almost 3 hours yesterday and 12 hours last night, so perhaps the problem is settling down (for now). It seems to come and go at the moment.. if it's the teeth, I hope they hurry up and come through so that things can become relatively peaceful again.

[Ghosty]

Poor you Bron! It's just one thing after another isn't it? Kids, who'd have 'em? Ooops! Too late! Hope Ds gets better soon

[LiamsMum]

I've just had ds crying hysterically on and off for almost an hour... we tried everything to get him off to sleep but nothing seemed to help. (Put him to bed just after 8.00pm, it's now 9.00). We tried putting a nightlight in his room in case he was suddenly frightened of the dark, but it made no difference. DH & I took turns going in to comfort him every 5 minutes or so, but he would scream again when we left the room. So all I can put it down to is his teeth - or perhaps overtiredness, but his crying sounds as though he is really distressed. I felt in his mouth again tonight but he doesn't seem to want me to do it, although I managed to feel that the gums at the back still seem swollen. Ghosty how are you going, is it still happening to you? In the end I had to relent and give him his dummy, which I never give to him at night (he has it for his daytime nap), but it was the only way to get him to go to sleep. I just wish I knew whether it was teeth, and whether this was going to come to an end soon....

[Chinchilla]

I think that we are going through this at the moment. I thought that I would have a look on Mumsnet, to see if there was already a thread, before posting one, and hey presto, here it is! So, is my ds getting his molars?...

Thursday through to today (Sunday), ds would not have his day nap, except when out it his pram, or in the car. Usually he is a fantastic napper. He screams when left on his own, and I do mean SCREAM. He totally went off food until last night. His poos have changed colour.

I felt in his mouth last night, and thought that I could feel one bump in the back of his mouth, on the right hand lower gum. He has all his other 16 teeth, which came early, but he is only 16 (nearly 17 months) old. Is it too early for molars??? He does not have a temperature or rash, or anything which would indicate an illness. He is sleeping through the night OK still, but we did give him some Calpol last night, so that might have helped.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? My dh and I are tearing our hair out. Ds is happy when allowed to crawl around manically, but has loads of tantrums when we try to stop him doing things that might hurt him. Any sign of a 'no', and he just throws a huge wobbly. It is making me feel so drained, and dh and I have had a c*ap weekend. We both feel like running off and leaving him! Wicked parents. Don't get me wrong, we love him to bits, but he is 'wrecking our relationship' to quote dh. He has always been a handful, but the last few days have made us really fed up. Is there a light at the end of this tunnel?

[SoupDragon]

DS2 is 20 months and is doing the same. He's still waiting for his last 4 molars too. Basically he's hot, miserable, red cheeked and drooling for England. He also has a cold which isn't helping matters.

[Emski]

Help!. My dd is 26 months old and over the past month seems to have undergone a personality transplant. I joined this thread because I do think that some of it is down to teeth, as I can see them under the gums at the back but they havn't broken through yet. She's also started having some major screaming fits for no obvious reason. However there are all sorts of other things going on, she recently started nursery, and I think this has had a huge impact on her behaviour. Plus of course, she's two, and things have been a bit tense at home lately, and I've been really moody. Just wanted to know if anyone else had experienced a dramatic change in their child's behaviour, and what they thought it was down to?. It's getting me down a bit as she used to be really loving, but now she tells me (and dp)to go away, not talk to her etc. etc. Advice and/or sympathy needed!!

[yoko]

i know that medical professionals will reiterate that teething does not cause any of the following but after the experience myself and others have had i beg to differ:red cheeks,runny nose,chesty cough,sore/red bottom,disgusting nappies,pulling of ears,irritability and complete personality change!i went thro months and months of hell and got very depressed by it all,but when all those teeth were finally thro my ds reverted to being a very happy,healthy boy again.he used to be on maximum dose of calpol every day which was worrying,but he was in agony and i spent lots of money on alternative meds which didn't work.it will pass,and i really believe that teething does cause all that you describe(and i am amedical professional!!)one thing that gave some relief was to crush (not too finely)ice and wrap itin a muslin square for babe to chew,v messy but ,hey, when you're desperate.it is really distressing,but take heart that the teeth will come thro eventually.

[yoko]

oh yes chinchilla.that phrase was often heard in this house after another night of no sleep etc.you are not alone believe me.

[LiamsMum]

Chinchilla if it's any comfort, my ds was worse at 18 months than he is now (2 1/2). Someone told me that toddlers are at the most difficult around 18 months..? Don't know if this is true but I found that as time went on and ds was able to communicate better, his behaviour was a lot more tolerable.

The teeth certainly don't help things though - ds still has 3 molars coming through and he has been dribbling, pulling at his ears, whining and doing strange-smelling poos. AND to top it all off, he caught hand, foot & mouth disease from his playgroup last week, so he has been utterly miserable. Poor baby, I really feel for him, not to mention the stress it puts on us!!

[batey]

Havn't read all the replys, so excuse if I repeat anything. My dd2 is 2 1/2 and we're waiting for the last 2 big ones to come through, she will often say "it hurts in there' and put her finger on her gum. It often results in broken sleep when her teth are doing their thing, infant Neurofen works very well to ease it,especially at night. I can't wait 'til the teeth are done with!! She's teethed v. slowly unlike her sister. Anyway, keep at it is all I can say, it will finish eventually.........!!!!

[Chinchilla]

Things here have calmed down a bit. I think that the molars must have just been moving around in preparation for the big eruption! Can't wait for all the teething to be over, but then again, I suppose there will always be another thing to get through!

[Scatterbrain]

Aha - you lot are a my lifeline !!

Have had the cr**t day from hell today !! DD awoke at 4.30am screaming blue murder, dh went to get her and she asked to wee-wee then threw a major strop - came in our bed and started slapping me, so was put back in her cot screaming for an hour. Basically has screamed and stropped her way through the whole day - really really unlike herself ! Eventually let me feel her gums and she has two bumps in her lower molar areas - so Anbesol and Nurofen to the fore ! Slight improvement - and has now gone to bed - but we are both really fed up and knackered !

Does anyone know what kids are like when their second teeth are coming through ? Is it this bad again ?

Feel like I can't cope with another day like today !

[john99e]

www.parentsearth.com/2-year-molars/ I follow this blog but not get helpful information, so you share me more information for 2-year molars related.

[Rainatnight]

Just to say that I'm just coming through the end of this, and now that I can see the teeth erupting through her poor little gums, I can see why it caused such a palaver. They look massive relative to the gum, and you can really see the hole they've created to push through.

I was so relieved when I could finally see them!