Exploring Maternal Perspectives on Teething and Treatment Practices in Awka, Southeast Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60787/tnhj.v24i3.805Keywords:
Infant, mother, perception, teethingAbstract
Background: Teething, a natural physiological process, initiates the eruption of primary dentition in infants, typically beginning at 6-7 months but varying between 3 months to 1 year. Despite its simplicity, teething has been clouded by numerous myths, including historical attributions of deaths to teething. This study aimed to explore maternal beliefs and treatment practices concerning infant teething.
Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted. The study population involved 241 mothers of diverse age groups and educational backgrounds who came with children not more than two years of age. The mothers responded to a questionnaire that included mothers’ age, level of education, occupation, number of children and beliefs towards teething symptoms and the practices preferred by the mothers to relief the attributed symptoms.
Result: The results revealed that 80% of mothers acknowledged potential health problems during teething, with fever (69.7%), diarrhea (39.8%), gum itching (34%), and vomiting (33.1%) being common concerns. Paracetamol emerged as the preferred home remedy (44.8%), followed by teething mixtures (32.8%) and teething powder (32%). Alternative practices such as hanging protective beads, rubbing salt water, or using oral rehydration solution were also documented.
Conclusion: Despite varying educational backgrounds, misconceptions persisted among mothers, leading to routine administration of medications for presumed teething problems. This study underscores the importance of addressing misconceptions surrounding teething to promote informed healthcare practices among mothers and nationwide prospective study to put end to these false beliefs.
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