Teething: What's Happening, What Helps

Can teething cause diarrhea, fever, and diaper rash?

Q: My grandmother says that teething causes diarrhea, fever, and diaper rash. My mother-in-law says she's wrong -- that if my baby, who's teething, seems sick, I should call the doctor. Who's right?

A: Your mother-in-law. It's a biological coincidence that teeth begin coming in at about 6 months -- the same time the immunity a baby receives from his mother starts to wear off and he must defend himself against the bugs that cause minor illnesses. So if your baby seems sick, he probably is.

In addition, parents sometimes attribute ear pulling to painful teething, which may indeed be a generalized infant response to discomfort. But if your teething baby pulls her ear, your first concern should be an ear infection, warns David Curtis, D.M.D., a pediatric dentist in Columbus, Mississippi. Indeed, never attribute any symptom to teething without first having your pediatrician rule out other causes.