The Pharmacological and Traditional Methods Used by Mothers in Turkey during Teething Period

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the pharmacological or traditional methods used by mothers during the teething period of their children.Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 383 mothers. Data were collected with a web-based questionnaire created by the researchers.Results: The mean age of the mothers was 31.08±6.04 (19-53) and the children were 19.19±11.50 (4-36) months on average. Children erupted at a mean age of 7.25±2.14 (4-10) months. 74.2% of the mothers had at least one problem while teething their children. The rate of mothers using traditional methods to resolve complaints during teething was 64.8%. Depending on the traditional method used, the rate of benefit for the child was 57.7%, and the rate of harm was 33.7%. The rate of use of medication by mothers to resolve complaints during teething was 51.7%. The rate of any benefit in the child due to the drug used was 57.7%, and the rate of complications was 8.9%. Drug-related harms in children were restlessness, increased salivation, and drug-related side effects, respectively. It was determined that the children of primary school graduate mothers had a higher rate of drug-related harm than the children of university graduate mothers (48.1%; 11.5%; p=0.002). Mothers who received training from health personnel to resolve complaints during teething were using drugs at a higher rate than mothers who received information from television and the internet (86.9%; 18.7%; p=0.008). Conclusion: There are more complications in the method used in children who use traditional methods to resolve their teething complaints. It is important for mothers to get support from nurses in order for children to have a trouble-free teething period.