LAST month the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned consumers that homeopathic teething tablets and gels may pose a risk to infants and children. However, the products are still available to buy on the internet. The FDA recommends that consumers stop using these products and safely dispose of any in their possession.
The agency is investigating after the deaths of 10 infants and more than 400 reports of seizures, fever and vomiting that may be connected to the use of teething treatments in the past six years in the United States. However "the relationship of these deaths to the homeopathic teething products has not yet been determined and is currently under review," according to a statement by the FDA.
The homeopathic teething tablets and gels under review are distributed by several companies and include tablets that contain a small amount of belladonna.
Belladonna is commonly known as Deadly Nightshade. It’s a plant whose leaves and berries are extremely toxic. Belladonna has been used as both a poison and a medicine throughout history. The FDA received reports of serious adverse events in children that are consistent with belladonna toxicity.
Consumers should seek medical care immediately if their child experiences seizures, difficulty breathing, lethargy, excessive sleepiness, muscle weakness, skin flushing, constipation, difficulty urinating or agitation after using homeopathic teething tablets or gels.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has warned parents to stay away from teething tablets that contain belladonna and gels with benzocaine.
So what can be done to settle a baby who is teething? What many parents think of as teething may just be a baby’s increased drooling and constant desire to suck and bite that occurs as a normal developmental stage starting around three to four months. Before using any products, it's important to confirm with a doctor that your child is, in fact, teething and not cranky for some other reason.
To ease discomfort or distract from teething pain you could try giving your child a chilled teething ring to chew on. Avoid freezing teething rings and foods or using any beads as they could cause damage to a baby’s gums or become a choking hazard. Watch out for foods with hidden sugars, like bagels and rusks, as prolonged sucking on sugary foods can cause baby teeth to decay.
