Help me solve this myth/truth

[Opalfeet]

Does teething make little ones loose? According to the NHS site theres no proven link. But when I took my child to a and e with d and v they suggested a link. Second teething child and he does seem loose sometimes when teething. Any ideas?

There is no scientific evidence base that I am aware of but anecdotally, it isn't uncommon.

No scientific link but my boy was always loose when teething. The one symptom that was always consistent!

I was told by our HV there's no link but my DS gets this whenever he's got a tooth coming through.

Same here, it's all the extra saliva they swallow I think. Both mine were always very loose when teething.

At nurseries people often say that if a child is loose ‘oh maybe he’s teething.’ Could it be caused by medicine? Diarrhoea is one of the side effects of calpol.

What's loose? As in bowel movements? In that case yes, and I usually find mine both break out in nappy rash too

I mean, because you often give calpol if a child is teething if they are grizzly, so maybe that’s the link rather than the actual teething.

@Rosebud1302

No scientific link but my boy was always loose when teething. The one symptom that was always consistent!

Same here with all the small teething people I have ever known. Every single one of them shared only this symptom.

@Kanaloa actually that was.my thinking...but more ibuprofen?

Yes, it is the excess saliva. Probably also not helped by constantly chewing hands that have been everywhere so taking in more germs than normal.

@SunbathingDragon I did wonder about sticking everything in their mouths and extra saliva. 🤔

Yes, it was a symptom in my experience!

Oh yes it’s a myth until proved otherwise. How dare mother’s know their own children better than any doctor or scientist. I had this discussion with a paediatrician, in the end we had to agree to disagree seeing as he’d never actually changed more than a handful of nappies in his life.

I can look at my children and know just by their posture if they need a bowel movement. Years of nappy changing, and toilet training have given me a sixth sense.

For me teething always meant nappy rash and the need to get metanium in.

Is it possible to last over a week with a tooth that is taking its time? And to increase the amount per day?

The lack of evidence is probably that no-one fancies funding a large enough scale study into babies excretion habits to overcome the number of uncontrollable variables.

Certainly my DDs seemed to have shittier nappies when teething.

@Fucket it was a paediatrician that suggested my son's d and v was due to teething. It actually wasn't, but it got me thinking. Why if medical professions agree do I read about there being no proven link? ,🤷‍♀️

Yes, I noticed this, but perhaps newly cut gums take in more infections. When people fight infections I think it can affect digestion and bodies try to clear microbes.

Teething = loose stools and nappy rash in x5 children. No medicine unless very grumpy with it but clearly teething due to red cheeks and drool. Oh the joys!

Teething also equalled hideous nappies for me too! How there isn’t a scientific link is beyond me…

Mine were due to the extra saliva!