Your Baby At 6 Months:

Your 6 month old is rolling from front to back and possibly from back to front.  Six month old babies are very friendly and reach out for people and things.  They recognize strangers, they laugh out loud, and they love to play.  They also love to put their feet in their mouths.  A six month old can usually sit with support and bear some weight on his or her legs.   He or she might start practicing with a cup.

Feeding Your Baby:

At 6 months old, we traditionally introduce solid foods to your baby. Four basic rules govern the type of solid food given to infants:

1. Smooth consistency so the food can be swallowed without chewing.  
2. No salt or sugar added.
3. Single ingredient foods only.  
4. No baby desserts or meats.   

Solid foods can be started in any order with any variety.  While the child is still nursed or formula fed, the nutritional content of solid foods is not so important.  Nevertheless, your child’s diet should mirror a healthy adult diet;  lots of cereal, fruits and vegetables with small amounts of meats and eggs.  Offer each new food for five days before introducing another.  Watch for signs of allergy or intolerance as new foods are added.

This is the age at which fluoride should be introduced in the diet.  If your child is exclusively breastfed, or you have non-fluoridated water, we should prescribe a fluoride supplement for your child. 

Your Baby’s Safety:

Depending on your baby’s mobility, he may be getting into “trouble.”  Now is the time to install cabinet latches, plug and receptacle covers, and stair gates.  Hide electrical cords.  Use your imagination to picture your house as a six month old would.  Bits of plastic, balloons, and other small objects are harmful snacks to a 6 month old.  Always use a car seat.

You may begin using sunscreen at this age.  Anything that is rated PABA free and SPF15 or SPF30 is fine.  Keep sunscreen off of your baby’s hands to avoid contact with his or her eyes and mouth.  Sunscreen should be reapplied every 2 – 3 hours.  Of course, avoiding the sun is best.

Immunizations:

The immunizations your child may receive at this age have been discussed.  By now you have read the information about them that we have supplied you.  Most babies do not have a reaction to these immunizations.  If there is a reaction, most likely it is a slight fever or fussiness.  You may give your baby Tylenol or other acetaminophen products for these symptoms.  If you feel the Tylenol has not helped or you are concerned about other symptoms let us know.  If your baby’s temperature exceeds 104 degrees F. rectally, let us know.

Your Next Appointment:

Your baby’s next appointment will be at 9 months.  We will continue to evaluate your baby’s development and discuss additional information. If your baby is current on his or her immunizations, there will be no need for vaccines at this visit. 

Teething

Definition
Teething is the normal process of new teeth working their way through the gums.  Your baby’s first tooth may appear any time between the ages of 3 months and 1 year.  Most children have completely painless teething.  The only symptoms are increased saliva, drooling, and a desire to chew on things.  It occasionally causes some mild gum pain, but it doesn’t interfere with sleep.  The degree of discomfort varies from child to child, but your child won’t be miserable. When the back teeth (molars) come through (age 6 to 12 years), the overlying gum may become bruised and swollen. This is harmless and temporary.

Since teeth erupt continuously from 6 months to 2 years of age, many unrelated illnesses are blamed on teething.  Fevers are also common during this time because after 6 months infants lose the natural protection provided by their mother’s antibodies.

Development of Baby Teeth
Your baby’s teeth will usually erupt in the following order: 

• Two lower incisors
• Four upper incisors
• Two lower incisors and all four first molars
• Four canines
• Four second molars
  

Home Care

• Gum Massage.  Find the irritated or swollen gum.  Vigorously massage it with your finger for 2 minutes.  Do this as often as necessary.  If you wish, you may use a cold wet washcloth to massage the gum.
• Teething Rings.  Your baby’s way of massaging his or her gums is to chew on a smooth, hard object.  Solid teething rings and ones with liquid in the center (as long as it’s purified water) are fine.  Most children like them cold.  Offer a teething ring or wet washcloth that has been chilled in the refrigerator but not frozen in the freezer.  A piece of chilled banana may help. Avoid ice or Popsicle’s that could cause frostbite of the gums.  Avoid hard foods that your baby might choke on (such as raw carrots), but teething biscuits are fine.
• Diet.  Avoid salty or acid food.  Your baby probably will enjoy sucking on a nipple, but if he or she complains, use a cup for fluids temporarily.  A few babies may need acetaminophen for pain relief for a few days.
• Acetaminophen.  If the pain increases, give acetaminophen regularly for 1 day.  Special teething gels are unnecessary.  Many teething gels contain benzocaine, which can cause an allergic reaction.  If you want to use a gel, do not apply it more than four times a day.
  

Common Mistakes in Treating Teething

• Teething does not cause fever, sleep problems, diarrhea, diaper rash, or lowered resistance to any infection.  It probably doesn’t cause crying.  If your baby develops fever while teething, the fever is due to something else.
• Don’t tie the teething ring around the neck.  It could catch on something and strangle your child.  
  

Call Our Office
During regular hours if:

• Your child develops a fever over 101°F (38.3°C).
• Your child develops crying that doesn’t have a cause.
• Your have other questions or concerns.
  

Instructions for Pediatric Patients, 2nd edition, 1999 by WB Saunders Company.  Written by Barton Schmitt, M.D., pediatrician.