Teething - do amber anklets work?

[CkFa]

Any experiences would be welcomed please! I have a 4 month old. Thank you!

Amber isn’t a crystal. It’s tree sap.

Believing in something doesn't make it true.

No they don’t. The temperature you need to heat amber to to release the alleged painkilling acid is ridiculously high. They’re also a choking hazard.

Not much helps tbh. Some countries have black labelled and / or banned bonjela because of the active ingredients and their associated risk of methemoglobinemia.

I do think it’s rather a cruel joke of nature, is teething. Poor things. Letting them gnaw on a twisted up, dampened wash cloth seemed to give mine a bit of relief. If they were ever really bad, I’d give calpol, but not routinely (ie once a month sort of level, if they had a tooth coming and were obviously in pain.)

These things may have a placebo effect but not on babies who have no idea that they are supposed to believe in it
I dont mind people using crystals or homeopathy etc as long as it’s not dangerous ( choking hazard) or used instead of stuff ( calpol) that is medically proven to actually work

I figured I'd try it. My 8m old still suffers with teething pain but she is no where near as drooly as dd1 was. My first needed bibs all the time when teething but this one doesn't

Nothing to with the amber, just your second child is less drooly than the first.

Different children.

When we give things to our children we rely on them having gone through some sort of testing process to ensure it is safe..
-amber bracelets/necklaces/anklets have not gone through this process. Why would any one want their baby to be a guinea pig?

We know that the dosages have been worked out, that every bottle or tablet or package has the same levels of active ingredient as the previous one.
-amber products can offer no such guarantee.

We know that the products are safe to give to a baby
-amber products are lots of little choking hazards all strung together and attached to the baby

We have an understanding of the mechanisms which might make it work.
-How does this work with amber? What is easing the baby's teething? What is having the effect?

The placebo effect is real, but you need a certain level of understanding of body and health for it to work. How can this possibly be found in a child? It may be that the use of a placebo alters the parent's interactions with the child, perhaps lowers anxiety and makes them feel like they are helping at a stressful time. Is that payoff worth all of the risks?

Yes they've worked for both mine. I could not take seeing them in pain any longer. I was skeptical but at that point I would of used anything if it meant them being out of pain. The next day I didn't hear a peep out of them and never knew when they got their teeth because they never cried. You can only try them @CkFa their not expensive so nothings lost if you don't find that they worked.

Also I would like to add that my daughters necklace and anklet have never ever come off and my youngest is 2 and still wearing hers

Yes they've worked for both mine.

How could they work they literally do no more than any other generic necklace would, they don't have healing powers.

I could not take seeing them in pain any longer.

Did you not give them medicine to lessen the pain?

Anbesol on a toothbrush for them to chew on is the best thing for teething.

(DD had an Amber necklace though and I thought it made a difference)

@HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone of course I did! They had teething gels/powders and calpol.

I don't have to lie about them working. They did work, because the crying stopped afterwards and I had no need to use the calpol gels and powders l

of course I did! They had teething gels/powders and calpol.

So how do you know that it wasn't the medicine helping ease the worst of the pain? Why would you assume it was some beads on a piece of cord helping their pain?

I would have thought it more likely they had found something to ease the pain, like a teething ring or finished teething than believe some amber was easing the pain of teething. You cannot say they work as there is nothing in them or on them that does anything to 'work' they are just a pretty necklace or anklet. They don't 'do' anything.

@HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone I used all the medicines. Babies still cried. Nothing seemed to help them. I bought 1 bracelet and 1 anklet. I put them on. The next day they was like different babies, no crying and happy. I didn't need to use the medicines afterwards because there was no crying. That's how I know they worked.

Does me typing it like that help you read what I'm saying? 🙄

I don't need to lie, I'm telling the op my experience of them. Believe what you want I couldn't care less 🤷🏻‍♀️

Does me typing it like that help you read what I'm saying?

Well no because I still don't understand how you can say the amber did anything when it doesn't do anything. It could just as easily be that you put them in a red baby grow the next day.

What I'm saying is there is no proof they work your anecdotal evidence means very little when scientifically there is no reason to say they work. If amber really had the effects you claim them why don't you ever see adults suggesting it for other adults who have pain linked to their teeth?

I have no idea how they work. I was recommended them about 10 times by friends, colleagues and the lady in the doctors surgery waiting room. I thought the same as you. But I'd run out of solutions so at that point I just went with it. They was around six months old when I put them on, so still had lots of teeth to come and I didn't notice any teeth come after that because they never made a sound and before I knew it they had a full set of teeth and only a couple of months of crying from 4 months old. I don't know how they worked I've never looked that far into it I just know they worked for us and the people who recommended them🤷🏻‍♀️ it can't be a coincidence that's for sure.

Parent A: They worked for us! Child never cried afterwards!
Parent B: Phew, she's so much better today. That nasty tooth has broken the surface!

Explodingkitten... don't be so rude!! *
*

1. I am not a hypocrite. I have not given my child anything for teething yet as he has started teething yet! When the time comes he will have plenty of gel, calpol, powders or whatever western medicine he may need. Asking a simple question on here about something I've only just heard of but know nothing about doesn't make me a hypocrite. It makes me open minded. I would NEVER not give my child medicine if he is in pain.

2. How in earth do you know what I do or don't want to hear? Isn't the whole point of this forum to ask for advice? I had no opinion of these anklets before, that's why I asked the bloody question.

I'm seriously so over the rudeness of some people on here. Get a life!

I'm done with this thread. Thank you to those with constructive opinions and advice on both sides of the fence, genuinely appreciated.

If you are willing to experiment with your child while not using something yourself then you absolutely are a hypocrite.

So tell me this, instead of fake news, will you try out amber the next time you are in pain? Because asking the internet can give you every answer you want, including that the earth is flat.

If you think it works but don’t know why, why are you talking such risks with your baby’s health?

And you might find me rude but I was the child of a hippy who would rather believe some idiocy like this then actually bring me to a doctor and give me medicine. I have suffered needlessly for some womans deluded ideas about nature knowing best. Don't try stuff out on your child.

So you might find me rude, I am trying to protect your child from harmful ideas. If it makes you think twice then I'm happy with the result. Hare me all you like.

Regression to the mean. Eventually, babies' teething issues improve. Often parents try the amber after the teething has dragged on for a while, so they have tried everything else and are desperate. And hey presto, the last thing tried 'worked'. Of course, the baby in question would have been better the next day even without the necklace..

As a child I once stole money just to buy paracetamol (which I hid somewhere) just to stop being in pain. I really hope that you read this.

Tbf when DS was teething I would have done a naked dance over a vat of amber while singing the macarena to get him to stop crying....

Regression to the mean, confirmation bias and coincidence.

Otherwise known as complementary medicine.