Teething in babies can be a stressful time for parents! This can bring along crankiness, a lot of drooling that can lead to other issues such as dryness and redness on the face and neck, or even a rash, and can lead to pain for the infant. A lot of parents question whether or not teething can cause a fever in an infant. This can be an important thing to note because if an infant has a fever, it can be very worrisome for parents. Knowing what is causing the fever can help determine how to treat it, if necessary, or treat the illness behind the fever. This article will talk about whether or not a fever can be caused by teething.
There is no evidence that teething causes a fever
Teething is the term that is used when referring to the babies’ teeth first coming through the gums. By six months of age, typically an infant has started the teething process. Just like every developmental milestone, though, every baby is different and some may start teething sooner while others may start teething later.
Teething is not known to cause a temperature increase that is high enough to be determined as a fever. While it may cause an infant to experience a slightly higher temperature than normal, a fever is when the infant reaches a temperature of 100.4 degrees. Teething is very unlikely to cause this kind of jump in an infant’s temperature. If the infant is experiencing a temperature that is 100.4 degrees or higher, it is more likely that there is another issue going on as well as the teething such as an illness.
Symptoms of teething and of a fever
While being under the weather and experiencing illness can have the same types of symptoms as teething, this can make it difficult for the parent to know whether the infant is just teething or is coming down with an illness.
Teething symptoms
- Drooling
- Rash on face or neck
- Chewing
- Fussiness
- Not sleeping well
- Gum pain and white spots seen on gums
Teething does not cause a fever, diarrhea, a runny nose or a diaper rash.
Fever symptoms
A fever will be determined when the baby’s temperature is at 100.4 degrees or higher.
- Sweating
- Loss of appetite
- Irritability or fussiness
- Dehydration
- Weakness
There are many things that can cause an infant to experience a fever. These things can cause a fever:
- Bacterial infection
- Virus
- Immunizations
- Heat exhaustion
- Certain medical conditions
Typically if the infant is fighting something off, such as a cold, they will experience a fever while the body works to fight off the virus or bacteria.
When to call a doctor
So does teething cause a fever? If the infant is showing signs of teething but also comes down with a fever, it is never a bad idea to give the Pediatrician a call and see what course of action they would like to take. They may want to have the baby come in and be seen to rule out some things and they may give instruction on what types of medications to give the infant, if any. Teething and fever typically don’t go hand in hand, so there usually will be a different reason behind the fever. Don’t ever hesitate to call the infant’s Pediatrician with any questions!
