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Original poster

Advice on Amber teething necklaces

74 replies

Keelynskye · 13/08/2013 10:11

I have heard alot about these amber teething necklaces and wondered if any one have used them and I if u have had good or bad experiences with them and where the best place to buy them please help

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ExBrightonBell · 13/08/2013 14:32

Would it not be possible for a baby to choke on the string of beads that would remain if the necklace/bracelet broke? All standard safety advice for babies and young children is not to put anything round their necks. I personally would not even be comfortable with an anklet either, but I am very risk averse.

All of which is one point, but the other more important point is that amber cannot have any pain relieving effects. If it did, in the way that people claim in their personal stories, it would be in use by the mainstream medical profession, and would be sold (and controlled) as a medicine.

bruffin · 13/08/2013 14:35

Seb101, you obviously dont know the difference between correlation and causation.

mamamidwife · 13/08/2013 19:18

Equally is there any research to say they don't work? (I'm just throwing this out there, I don't know if there is or not).
But just because something has not been tested in westernised medical research does not mean it does not work.
People in other countries have been using them for centuries, it's a bit like herbal medicine. People have used it for centuries but didn't need a randomised controlled trial before they used something and still don't in some cases.
So I don't think the amber can be written off completely as hocus pocus. If it works for some people brilliant.
I expect that people who use amber aren't adverse to using calpol either as an analgesic, it's just that they are using less!

bruffin · 13/08/2013 19:22

The science center says they don't work. There is no mechanism for it to work without badly burning the baby.

ExBrightonBell · 13/08/2013 19:33

It isn't really like herbal medicine - that uses treatments that do usually contain active ingredients that can actually have an effect on humans. Eg willow bark contains salicylic acid which is basically aspirin, or digitalis from foxgloves, quinine from cinchona bark etc.

Amber beads are more like homeopathy in that they both require "magical thinking".

bruffin · 13/08/2013 19:36

Not sure where center came from

maja00 · 13/08/2013 19:47

Equally you could say, where's the evidence that wearing blue socks doesn't prevent cancer?

GibberTheMonkey · 13/08/2013 19:57

What do people think of tens machines then?

ExBrightonBell · 13/08/2013 20:02

What is the relevance of asking about tens machines?

maja00 · 13/08/2013 20:04

Tens machines are a bit different in that there isn't currently firm evidence either way, rather than it being scientifically impossible to work like amber or homeopathy.

I did use one in labour, and think it was probably a distraction rather than actual pain relief.

mamamidwife · 13/08/2013 20:44

No it is not (or like) a herbal medicine. The only correlation I used between amber & herbal medicine is that the two have been used historically for many centuries and many people used them anecdotally without evidence based research, and just because the research is perhaps is yet to be done, doesn't mean it doesn't work.

AmandaPandtheTantrumofDoom · 13/08/2013 20:47

There is no possible mechanism for them to work in the way it is claimed without seriously harming the child.

They work because you want to believe they work.

Also, whilst they claim to be individually knotted, safe, yada yada, Trading Standards have warned against them - www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/extra/news-item.cfm/newsid/874

ExBrightonBell · 13/08/2013 20:49

Mamamidwife, I wonder why it is that no scientists have considered doing research into amber as an analgesic? If it works as well as some people claim you would think that it would be a top priority for researching into. Large pharmaceutical companies would be all over it so that they could profit out of it.

mamamidwife · 13/08/2013 21:02

It's probably a discussion for a different thread, but research requires funding, and there are bigger problems in the world to solve. generally people are not interested in researching alternative medicine, especially not pharmaceutical co's. the profit margins are not the same

mamamidwife · 13/08/2013 21:05

I should add I have nothing against pharmaceuticals and their drugs, they are much needed by many.

curlew · 13/08/2013 21:06

If there was the remotes possibility that they worked, don't you think that Big Pharma would be in there waving patent forms?

Oh, and anyone who thinks that alternative medicine isn't big business is sadly deluded.....

mamamidwife · 13/08/2013 21:18

No I don't think the pharmaceuticals would be interested.
We will have to agree to disagree
However they work, it's an individual choice. I have no regrets, and I have no idea if they worked or not but my kids have not had teething problems, it's probably a coincidence but I was willing to give them a go, risks minimised, and they look cute on.

Seb101 · 13/08/2013 21:19

Bruffin ' you obviously don't know the difference between correlation and causation'

How rude! And yes I do. I fully appreciate that although I and others may have experienced a correlation between amber necklaces and no teething problems, that doesn't prove causation!
Insulting me with scientific jargon is uncalled for. I'm untitled to express my opinion. I accept there's an element of 'wishful thinking' but that's fine with me. I don't need or want proof either way to be honest. I think they look cute and if they work; great. If not; oh well, no harm done.

ExBrightonBell · 13/08/2013 21:31

Seb, you see the thing is that there is a small but real risk of harm. All standard safety advice is not to put anything around a baby's neck. Why create an additional risk when there is no proof (or scientific basis) that these things work?

valiumredhead · 13/08/2013 21:45

There it's no way I would ever put anything round a child's neck or ankle especially while they sleep, sounds like an accident waiting to happen.

Seb101 · 13/08/2013 21:51

I don't believe there is any risk of harm.
; during day; around neck. If caught they break easily. Baby could not be strangled by this necklace. They are made to break under pressure. Beads individually knotted, so no small beads everywhere. My baby is always supervised; if it broke I'd take take it off her.
; at night; around ankle, under baby grow, in sleeping bag. If some how broke, it would be under clothes etc and impossible to get to.
Under what circumstance could they harm a baby?

Seb101 · 13/08/2013 21:53

Valium; worn around ankle under clothes, in sleeping bag. An accident waiting to happen??? How?

elfycat · 13/08/2013 22:05

I bought one for DD2 when she was nearly 2 as she was a miserable teether and had kept me awake for about 3 weeks. I passed by an amber shop (Southwold) and ran in. DH rolled his eyes.

I'd given her calpol/ibuprofen at fairly regular intervals for weeks, which I'd rather not. I use teetha which is herbal and also 'woo' I also use rescue remedy which is fluffy energy based. I wanted the amber as then I knew I'd done everything I possibly could to soothe her.

2 nights later she wasn't screaming. It wasn't that the teething was over as the blood-soaked drool on her pillow continued for a few more weeks (8 teeth in 2 months). We've taken it off and returned it to her as other teeth have come through. She's wearing it now and there's only one more tooth to go thank goodness

I believe it took the edge off her misery, she was obviously calmer after it was on. I like woo but non-woo people noticed too.

CoteDAzur · 13/08/2013 22:15

2 nights? That's very slow woo.

If your baby calmed 5 nights after she started wearing the amber necklace, would you still credit this improvement to the necklace? What about 2 weeks?

bruffin · 13/08/2013 22:21

Seb
If you know the difference you wouldn't be making claims on here that amber works
Last week my DD had dental surgery to remove a badly impacted tooth. They had to remove bone to get to it. She had no pain afterwards at all. She was given toast in the hospital. I can conclude from that toast is a pain killer. Everything I read said there should be lots of swelling, she had no swelling so toast must also be an antiimflamatory as well.

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