Is your child having trouble teething, with red cheeks, dribbling, painful gums and sleepless nights?
There are many pills and potions available but putting different chemicals into your child's body may not be for you. A popular remedy for teething pain is amber, worn as a short necklace.
So how does it work?
Firstly it is important to remember that it is NOT for the child to chew on, it works by being worn against the skin, the heat of which releases microscopic amounts of oil, which is then absorbed into the skin. This necklace is made of Baltic amber which is distinct from other types of amber as it contains succinic acid and it is this compound which gives amber teething necklaces their therapeutic quality.
Succinic acid is naturally occurring in every cell of the human body and has many functions; analgesic (for pain relief), expectorant (to decrease mucous in the nose and chest), anti pyrectic (anti fever), anti spasmodic (reduces the diarrhoea from an over active bowel) and anti inflammatory (reduces the red cheeks and dribbling).
Some parents of children with an amber teething necklace report a real breakthrough as the child is no different to their normal contented self.
The necklace is short to reduce the risk of getting caught on anything and the child will become de-sensitised to its presence around their neck. It is not to be worn around the neck during naps or night time. Each bead is rounded to prevent sharp edges damaging the child's skin, and is individually knotted onto cotton so that if a breakage were to occur only one bead would come off the necklace, and the small size makes them much less likely to cause choking should they then be swallowed. The screw on clasp is made of plastic and not silver, and if a great strain is put on the necklace, this clasp will give way and allow the necklace to break open.
