TY - JOUR
A1 - Odinaka, Kelechi
A1 - Benedict, Edelu
A1 - Ifeyinwa, Amamilo
A1 - Emeka, Nwolisa
A1 - Achigbu, Kingsley
T1 - Perception of mothers in Owerri, South-East Nigeria about teething in infants
Y1 - 2020/9/1
JF - Port Harcourt Medical Journal
JO - Port Harcourt Med J
SP - 125
EP - 130
VL - 14
IS - 3
UR - https://www.phmj.org/article.asp?issn=0795-3038;year=2020;volume=14;issue=3;spage=125;epage=130;aulast=Odinaka
DO - 10.4103/phmj.phmj_16_20
N2 -
Background: Teething is a natural and physiological process in growing infants. It is one of the major milestones in the development of the child and has been attributed to cause a myriad of problems to the infant.
Aim: This study sought to determine the knowledge, beliefs and practices of mothers from Owerri, South-East Nigeria on childhood teething.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study that involved 127 mothers who attended the infant immunisation clinic of Federal Medical Centre Owerri over 3 months from September to November 2018.
Results: Fifty-one (41.7%) infants had the eruption of the first tooth on or before 5 months of age. A good proportion 111 (87.4%) of mothers believed that tooth eruption in infants will come with illness, while 55 (43.3%) of the mothers had in the past experienced symptoms with teething in their babies. Seventy-three (57.5%) of the mothers use medications as prophylaxis for teething-associated problems. Mother's education did not significantly influence the use of teething prophylaxis (31.4% of mothers with tertiary education administered medications to their children during teething compared to 54.2% of mothers with lower educational background, P = 0.094, χ2 = 6.392).
Conclusion: Mothers in Owerri, South Eastern Nigeria irrespective of their educational status still have wrong perceptions and beliefs about teething and majority routinely administer medications for presumed teething problems.
ER -