Tooth eruption in children

For most infants, teeth start erupting around the age of six months; however, it is not unusual for the first baby tooth to appear as early as at the age of three months. For some children, it can take even longer, but if the first tooth does not erupt before the first birthday, it is advised to consult a general practitioner.

Nurse: Good morning, Ms Wright, you've come for a check-up, haven't you?

Mother: Good morning, nurse. Yes, we have, but I would like to ask you something. Natalie has been extremely restless over the past few days. She cries all the time, she doesn't want to sleep at night, and last night, she even had a fever. She doesn't have it today, but I'm completely at a loss about what to do with her.

Nurse: Natalie is four months old, isn't she?

Mother: Yes.

Nurse: The doctor will examine her, of course. But one possible cause might be that her teeth are erupting.

Mother: Really? Already? I thought that teeth start to erupt around the age of six months at the earliest.

Nurse: Yes, in most cases, but it can occur earlier. Does Natalie put her fists or things into her mouth? Does she have swollen gums?

Mother: Yes, she keeps on putting things in her mouth and she dribbles a lot. She even doesn't want to eat, although she's always been rather hungry.

Nurse: Then it must be the teeth. Get her a teething ring. Good ones are those that can be cooled down in a fridge. You can also buy a special gel in a pharmacy, which may alleviate the pain. Regarding salivation, give her a lot to drink and use a protective cream on her chin and neck to prevent skin irritation around the mouth.

Mother: Ok. Thank you very much, nurse.

Nurse: You're welcome. The doctor will tell you more. You can go in now.

Mother: Thank you.

as early as	již, už
to consult	poradit se, radit se; konzultovat
restless	neklidný, nepokojný; neposedný
at a loss	nevědět si rady; být v rozpacích
at the earliest	nejdříve
fist	pěst, ruka
to keep on (doing something)	neustále (něco dělat)
to dribble	slintat
teething ring	kousátko
to cool down	zchladit, vychladit
to alleviate	zmírnit, ulevit, utišit

Lekce angličtiny pro časopis Florence připravuje překladatelská agentura ACP TRADUCTERA (www.traductera.com).

 

Ilustrační foto – zdroj: www.achildsbestsmile.com