Perceptions of Australian mothers on infant teething : a pilot investigation using a mixed methods approach

Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop and pilot a telephone interview questionnaire on parental perceptions on symptoms and management of infant teething, prior to implementing a larger project. Methods: Child and Family Health Nurses in Sydney South West recruited mother-infant dyads (n=187) during a home visit soon after the child’s birth. Using a mixed methods approach, information on parental beliefs on teething related symptoms and home management techniques and demographic data were obtained via a telephone interview when the child was four to twelve months old. Frequency distributions were calculated using SPSS version 19 software and the qualitative data were analysed using a framework approach. Results: Mothers in general were unsure what teething symptoms were and would attribute symptoms caused by external factors to teething. Nearly all mothers (n= 168) believed that tooth eruption was associated with some form of child morbidity. Mothers reported biting (91.7%), dribbling (71.4%) and irritability (57.1%) were the most common symptoms associated with infant teething. A substantial minority reported potentially serious symptoms such as appetite loss, susceptibility to infections, diarrhoea and vomiting to teething. The use of teething rings or other objects to chew on, analgesics such as paracetamol, and topical analgesic gels were remedies commonly used to relieve teething related symptoms. Some mothers reported potentially harmful remedies to relieve teething. Conclusions: The questionnaire was acceptable to parents and useful data were collected for future longitudinal studies. Infant teething appears to be a distressing phenomenon for mothers with young children. Many parents were still unsure about what teething symptoms are attributed to teething and may not be managing their child correctly. Further education is needed for mothers in terms of recognising teething and managing it appropriately