Comment by jamiesonbecker | Hacker News Reader

Comment by jamiesonbecker | Hacker News Reader

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This dad has a real problem and is looking in the (dangerously) wrong place for solutions.

Maybe you can suggest a few things that do work..

Rubber teethers with a gel in them that you can put in the freezer and get cold, but not so cold they burn or feel uncomfortable or could choke them (like ice cubes).

Cut, cool, washed celery stalks at least 4" long, so the baby (or you) can pull them back out of their mouth if the baby starts to stuff them down their throat (which happens). The baby will instinctively pull it back out if it hurts. (Note: carrots and most other vegetables are NOT safe, because the baby can break off little pieces and choke on them, but you can put them in a baby straining mesh thing to keep small pieces from choking them.)

To all parents (especially on sites that are not HN): please do not put anything in your baby's mouth that might hurt them. It's better to listen to them cry then to risk hurting them.

EDIT: removed anbesol/orajel suggestion as unsafe and probably ineffective anyway.

The FDA recommends against any medicines (including Anbesol and Orajel) for the "treatment" of teething but then they wallow a little bit and add "except under the advice and supervision of a health care professional."

They recommend putting pressure on the child's gums and/or providing a cold washcloth or teething ring to chew on. Make sure you supervise so the child doesn't choke.

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm385817.ht...

The AAP are more direct "The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend putting any prescription or over-the-counter pain relievers or medication that contain lidocaine [Anbesol] or benzocaine [Orajel] on babies' gums. These products are not useful for teething pain because they wash out of the baby's mouth in minutes."

https://www.aappublications.org/content/35/8/32.1

In short, the actual medicine is just as bad. It also doesn't work and causes death.

Neither organization recommend the use of vegetables.

There is valid reason to keep homeopathic treatments - sometimes psycho parent/patient comes to a doctor and demands a treatment. While doctor knows that there is none needed, such parent might be persistent and could otherwise give a child/himself something dangerous. In this case prescribing homeopathic placebo is a great way to calm down such person and stop him from self-medication. Sadly, it has a side effect of people starting to think that it actually works.

Ok, when prescribed by a physician as you point out. My response was specifically about the GP's point regarding unsafe remedies for teething.

Teething is itself natural, safe, and perfectly normal, even if is a bit painful... so letting the process occur naturally is the most homeopathic approach. It's ironic and tragic that people are giving their precious little ones poison to stop what is really just pain from normal growth.

Real "homeopathic" treatments that actually work are things like a rubber teething toy to chew on, or a stalk of celery... that's about as natural as it gets! Poisons need not apply.

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