Updated: Teething and fevers

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Alright experienced Dis parents - what is your opinion or experience on the “fever during teething” subject?

DS randomly got a fever yesterday night that is persisting today - 102 without meds. Acting totally fine once medicine kicks in, no other symptoms. I’m treating this as though it was a virus, with rest and hydration in addition to the meds.

A kid in his daycare class also has a fever today. His mom swears up and down it is from teething because he keeps pointing to his cheek.

I’ve always been told that teething won’t cause a fever. However, I got my toddler to open his mouth, and low and behold one of his molars has peeked through a corner.

I’m still sticking with my virus theory as the cause and keeping him quarantined (can this cold and flu season stop now?!?) until the fever is gone. But I secretly hope it is from the tooth, as he is my kid with the bad immune system.

So what is your experience/opinion?

 

[kmb584]

In my experience, as both a mother and a nurse, no.

Teething, especially on the day when the tooth erupts, can cause a baby's body temperature to rise but it shouldn't go beyond 100°-100.5°. 102° makes me suspect that something else is at play and you're probably right on track thinking it's a viral infection of some sort. Just a keep an eye on your little guy!

 

[danielocha30]

all my kids “coincidentally” had fever while teething One even got fever so high that he was shivering I took him to ER and the first thing they did was checking his gums and lo and behold he got pretty much all his teeth at once Doctors couldn’t believe it. Dr thinks the pain was making him shiver. Poor kid, he was fine 3 days later after lots of liquids and pain/fever relief.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

Both my kids got slight fevers when teething, but nothing higher than at most 101. They also ALWAYS got diaper rash when they were cutting teeth.

 

[BLAZEY]

DD got a fever on the day/night the tooth erupted usually only about 38*C. Some pain medicine took care of it. Always got a diaper rash when teething, the only time she ever got one.

 

[EMom]

DD sometimes ran a fever (not 102) when teething, but Tylenol took care of that. Worse was the diaper rash that accompanied teething. She rarely got diaper rash, but it was horrible when teething.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I definitely think kids run a fever while teething. (I'm told I would even run a fever if I got overtired when I was little.) But at 102°, I'd still keep him home and keep an eye on him.

 

[Christine]

I always thought the fever was fairly low grade. 102 seems a bit on the high side. Is this the first tooth? If not, did he get a fever with the others?

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

My kids had a low grade fever, but nothing that high.

 

[MrsPete]

Both my kids got slight fevers when teething, but nothing higher than at most 101. They also ALWAYS got diaper rash when they were cutting teeth.

I don't remember fevers with teething, but I was going to bring up the diaper rash thing. HORRIBLE diaper rash. Rash that looked like the poor kid had been forced to sit in a wet diaper for a whole day.

 

[lorimay]

I have a 15 month old grandson, who is cutting one molar after another right now.
He feels a little warm, but no way over a 100.
He gets the diaper rash too

I feel so bad for him, he can't catch break with these teeth coming in nonstop.
He likes to bite Mommy & Grandma too.

 

[indimom]

Ditto all the other replies. I remember a low grade temp. And my daughter's cheeks would look "wind-burnt." I can't tell you how many times my mom or MIL would tell me to keep her out of the breeze or recommend lotions, when she hadn't been out and her skin wasn't dry, just fire-engine red from cutting teeth.

Any fever that high, I'd consider a virus as you are, and would keep them home. If they became particularly fussy, refused to eat, etc., I'd take them to the doc. My two had teething that seemed to lead into an ear infection on more than one occasion.

 

[Floridaman999]

Just like some of the others here, my boys all had low grade fevers while teething, but not as high as 102.

 

[Kellydelly]

None of my four children had fevers while teething. I don't believe a fever that high would be from anything but a virus or infection of some sort.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Update - the daycare kids are dropping like flies with fevers, so definitely a bug. One of them is currently being checked at the ER so we should know soon if it is a flu strain or strep. Even if it’s the flu my son has had it too long to get tamiflu, so we can’t do anything other than what we are doing.

 

[North of Mouse]

As a mom of 3 - all of mine got fevers when they cut their 'eye' teeth - dd was 'very' sick, ds's not as bad. Their pediatrician (dad of 5) told dh & I these words - 'As a Dr. I say teething doesn't cause fever, but as a dad, yes, they can'!!

 

[MomOfDisneyPrincess]

I don't remember fevers with teething, but I was going to bring up the diaper rash thing. HORRIBLE diaper rash. Rash that looked like the poor kid had been forced to sit in a wet diaper for a whole day.

Oh yes! The toxic waste that came out of this poor child burnt her skin off like acid in a patch about the size of a large thumb print. She still has a faint scar on her behind and she's almost 13. Poor thing!

 

[PlainJane]

My family somehow managed to catch a nasty cold from a “teething” little girl once. I didn’t believe her mother and I knew she should have been home.

I treat any kid that has illness symptoms as being ill.

 

[PlainJane]

Update - the daycare kids are dropping like flies with fevers, so definitely a bug. One of them is currently being checked at the ER so we should know soon if it is a flu strain or strep. Even if it’s the flu my son has had it too long to get tamiflu, so we can’t do anything other than what we are doing.

I’m so sorry your little guy is sick. I’ll be praying for all these sick babies. Please keep us updated.

 

[DLgal]

Neither of mine ever got a fever OR a diaper rash from teething. I have never heard of the diaper rash thing until I read this thread. Interesting.