Is it teething?

My baby boy is almost 5 months, and I am pretty sure he is teething. I am trying not to run to the Dr. for every little thing, but I am worried that it could be something else. I know that with ear infections they will pull on their ear, but I also know that sometimes they will not pull on their ear, and the symptoms of teething and ear infection can be the same. He has a low fever all last night, and would not sleep at all. He went from crying to just laying there quietly, but he would not sleep at all last night. He was only quiet in between the crying if I kept him in bed with me. So my question is, aside from the ear pulling, how can I be sure it is not an ear infection? He has always drooled a lot, and he loves chewing things so I can not use those as signs.

Is it teething?
Sometimes when they're teething they also get diarrhea, but my daughter pulled at her ear all the time, and it was neither of those things. But when my daughter was cranky, I found out it was her teething by putting baby orajel on her gums, because it calmed her down.
Reply:You cannot be sure it is not an ear infection without visiting the doctor. I would recommend taking him in to take a look. If the temp is 100 or better you should take him right away. If the doc says it is just teething you might just offer him a cold wet washcloth to chew on. Baby Orajel and Ambesol also offer a good bit of relief.
Reply:Quit freaking out! Either way, he IS going to live.
Reply:Are his gums red in places? Do you see the tooth buds? Otherwise you can't know for sure.





If he has a fever, you can give him some infant tylenol or motrin, call the doctors office and ask to speak with the nurse and she can give you the correct dosage for his age and weight.
Reply:Check his gums. If there are bumps or any kind of raised impressions, it might be his teeth.





Try giving him cold washcloths to suck on, and of course teething rings.





If you are giving him anything for his fever, try getting Hyland's Teething Tablets from the local Walmart or such. We used them on my son, and they still worked wonders with his molars.
Reply:with teething with my kids a fever came with the drooling and chewing, but call your doctor or a ask a nurse line and see what they say for sure. Try tylonal or something for pain and see if it helps him stop grabbing his ears? I would as a dr. before giving any meds. good luck hope you get him sleeping soon!