SERIOUS WARNING HERE: BABY TEETHING GELS

So many of my blog friends have had grandbabies lately I thought I should share this. I

Remember back in our day when those precious little mouths would start drooling like crazy and the cranky baby would cry and cry for hours.

Teething was the culprit and we were so grateful for whatever relief we could give them. Many used brandy on the gums or was that in the Moms? Before our time our ancestors could have used Cocaine drops. Most of us though used the Orajel or Anbesol (though not limited to)type medications to rub on their gums.

These gel products we have been using contain Benzocaine to numb the gums. Benzocaine can cause a rare but sometimes fatal condition called methemoglobinemia.

This is a blood disorder where the oxygen carried through the blood to the tissue drops to levels that are dangerously low.

The FDA sent out the first warning in 2006 and a second one in 2011. The symptoms include pale, gray or blue coloured skin, lips and fingernail beds. Shortness of breath, headache, light headedness and rapid heart rate.

This can also affect adults who smoke or  have heart disease or respiratory problems.

The FDA recommends you keep these products out of reach of children, duh!!!! And that you use them only when necessary and then no more than 4 times per day.

Really? Are you kidding me? You think anyone in their right mind would still use these on their babies know this could happen? Take away their baby raising cards please. Oh right…anyone can have babies.

My recommendation is to freeze wet facecloths in ziplock bags and give them to baby to chew on when teething. What tips do you have?