POLICY COTENT

Our School aims to manage the teething process of babies and young children whilst ensuring the health and safety of all children, families, educators and visitors of the School. Symptoms of common childhood illnesses are often mistakenly linked to ‘teething’, which may prevent the identification an underlying bacterial or viral or middle ear infection.  

This policy aims to ensure staff, parents, families and visitors to the School understand teething symptoms, measures implemented to manage the teething process and treatments that are not recommended or used at our School.

NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)

QUALITY AREA 2: Children's Health and Safety

2.1	Health	Each child’s health and physical activity is supported and promoted.
2.1.1	Wellbeing and comfort	Each child’s wellbeing and comfort is provided for, including appropriate opportunities to meet each child’s needs for sleep, rest and relaxation.
2.1.2	Health practices and procedures	Effective illness and injury management and hygiene practices are promoted and implemented.

PURPOSE 

We aim to assist families manage the teething process of their child whilst maintaining the health and wellbeing of all children.

SCOPE 

This policy applies to children, families, educators, staff, visitors, Approved Provider, Nominated Supervisor and management of the School.

IMPLEMENTATION 

Our School implements specific strategies to ensure the health and wellbeing of all children, families, educators and visitors. Our Policies are informed by current research and recommendations provided by the Australian Government - Department of Health and local Public Health Units and we adhere to the recommendations by the Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council Publication Staying Healthy: Preventing Infectious Diseases in Early Childhood Education and Care Services (Fifth Edition).

Although some babies and young children may display signs of discomfort and pain whilst teething, many babies experience little to no discomfort. Our educators will implement a range of management strategies to support and comfort babies and young children during this time.

Teething 

Baby teeth develop while babies are still in the womb. Teething is the process in which the teeth begin to ‘erupt’ and break through the gums Teething commonly begins between four and ten months of age and is different for each child. The order of tooth eruption however is usually the same with the two front teeth (central incisors) in the lower jaw occurring between the ages of six and ten months.

Generally, children will have their full set of primary teeth (20 teeth) by the age of three years.  

Symptoms and/or Behaviours of Teething 

Teething takes about eight days for a tooth to fully erupt from the gum. During this time babies and young children may suffer some discomfort. Symptoms and/or behaviours may include:

• babies rubbing their gums together 
• flushed red cheeks 
• sucking on toys, fingers or fists 
• irritable, grizzly or grumpy 
• baby being more clingy or fretful than usual 
• dribbling as more saliva is produced during teething 
• nappy rash 

Whilst teething symptoms for some babies can be concerning, there is no clear evidence to suggest that teething causes fever or diarrhoea in children. (Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne). Symptoms of common childhood illnesses can sometimes be mistakenly linked to teething resulting in underlying viral, bacterial or middle ear infections to go undiagnosed. Teething may cause discomfort and irritability, but it does not cause an illness. If a baby or child has a temperature at or above 38°C, parents should seek urgent medical attention.

Management of Teething 

Educators will implement a range of techniques to comfort and support babies and young children during teething. These may include: 

• offering a cooled/chilled teething ring to chew on 
• use a cold, wet flannel (face washer) to massage the gum area with a finger 
• if baby has started solid foods and is over six months, offering food items that are firm - such as a sugar free rusk, or raw vegetables 
• offering mushier foods for mealtimes (mashed vegetables, yoghurt) 
• additional comforting and play time to distract the baby from any pain 

Medication for Teething 

As per our Sick Children Policy, management will not accept a child into care if they have been given medication for a pain relief or temperature prior to arriving at the School (for example Panadol). If a child becomes ill whilst at the School and has developed a temperature, we will adhere to our Sick Children Policy and monitor the child’s symptoms, temperature and respond accordingly.

If the child is displaying signs of pain and discomfort and other measures have not helped, we will administer paracetamol only with written authorisation by a parent. Any medication administered to a child will be recorded on the Administration of Medication Record or Administration of Paracetamol Record and witnessed by another educator. Dosage amounts and instructions will be checked carefully and recorded appropriately. The Administration of Medication Record or Administration of Paracetamol Record will be acknowledged and signed by the parent or authorised nominee when collecting the child from the School. When paracetamol has been administered, it is our policy to request parents or an authorised person to collect the child from care within 30 minutes.  

Teething Gels - Our School will NOT administer teething gels for a child who is teething. Common teething gel formulations contain choline salicylate which is related to aspirin and is not recommended for children under 16 years of age. Teething gels containing benzocaine are also not recommended. (Victoria Health - Better Health)

Amber Beads - The use of amber beads to assist for soothing teething is not supported by our School. The Australian Competition and Consumer Complaints (ACCC) has identified amber beads as public safety warning due to the risk of amber teething necklaces and bracelets becoming a possible choking or strangulation hazard.
 

Management and Educators will ensure:  

• they are aware of a range of strategies to support babies and young children during teething 
• communication with parents and families is consistent and supportive  
• children will not be accepted into care if they have been provided with paracetamol or other medication for pain relief or temperature prior to arriving at the School 
• effective hygiene policies and procedures are adhered to at all times to prevent the spread of illnesses 
• effective environmental cleaning policies and procedures are adhered to all times  
• toys and other equipment mouthed by babies or young children are thoroughly cleaned after use 
• families are provided with relevant information from a trusted source about teething and management of teething 
• that any child who registers a temperature of 38°C or above is to be collected from the School ASAP and excluded for 24 hours after the last elevated temperature or until the School receives a doctor’s clearance letter stating that the child is cleared of any infection and able to return to childcare 
• administration of medication for pain relief will only occur after all other measures to reduce pain and discomfort for teething children have been exhausted and with written authorisation by a parent or authorised nominee 
• if paracetamol is administered to a child for any reason, parents or an authorised person must collect the child within 30 minutes (or as close as) from the School. If the child is not/cannot be collected within this time, emergency contacts will be called
• accurate records for Administration of Medication and/or Administration of Paracetamol are completed, witnessed and signed by a parent/authorised nominee when collecting the child.

 
Families will ensure: 

• adhere to the Teething Policy and Sick Child Policy  
• not administer paracetamol or other medication for pain relief or temperature prior to arriving to the School 
• provide written authorisation to administer pain relief medication (e.g., Panadol) 
• acknowledge and sign the Administration of Medication Record if required 
• collect their child from the School within 30 minutes (or as close as) if paracetamol has been administered. Guardians will help to arrange alternative collection (emergency contacts) will be organised if the child cannot be collected within the 30 minute time frame
• monitor their child’s health and recognise the symptoms of an underlying illness rather than teething 

SOURCE 

Australian Dental Association ada.org.au/Your-Dental-Health/Children-0... 
Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010. (Amended 2018).
Education and Care Services National Regulations. (2011).      
Guide to the National Quality Standard. (2020)
National Health and Medical Research Council. (2012) (updated June 2013). Staying healthy: Preventing infectious diseases in early childhood education and care services.  
Pregnancy, Birth and Baby.  pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/teething 
Raising Children Network. raisingchildren.net.au/babies/health-daily-care/dent... 
The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne. rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Fever_in... 
Victoria Health Department. Better Health Channel. Teeth Development in Children. betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatment...