The only thing for certain about children is that they are all different. What works for one child may not work for another and what happens to one child may not happen with another. Once you accept this fact and start getting to know your own child, understanding what happens to them and what works with them, life usually gets a little easier.

For instance, after eight teeth, I now have Gavin’s teething symptoms pretty much down pat. These are the usual signs when he’s teething again:

• he gets diarrhoea
• he puts his fingers into his mouth more often (usually to press his gums - which you’ll notice if you look carefully)
• he’s generally more crabby - especially when he wakes up from a nap
• he can cry for no apparent reason (and he’ll rub his drool all over his mouth and chin - perioral area)
• he’s more interested in his toothbrush (because he can use it to apply pressure to his sensitive gums) and always wants to brush his teeth
• he wants to nurse a lot more than usual
• he goes off his solids (although he may still want to eat biscuits or anything hard)

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