Are Teething tablets safe?

How safe are homeopathic teething tablets?

Recently, a parent expressed safety concerns regarding Homeopathic teething tablets.  The parent said her pediatrician warned against using them because they contain an ingredient called belladonna, a plant whose leaves and berries are toxic. The pediatrician said that without conclusive research on it's effects he could not recommend using it.

As always, WeePlay's goal is to provide up-to-date, accurate, and reliable information. We understand how challenging deciphering hearsay from fact can be, especially when making decisions about your child's health and well-being. A parent's instincts are valuable and reliable but with so many sources freely offering advice, even the most discerning parents can begin questioning themselves. When this happens, the best place to start is with your child's pediatrician. Next, gather as much reliable information as possible; The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is one source with a proven and reliable tract record. When you have the pieces together, making your decisions will become easier and seeing the best option for your family will become clearer.  However, WeePlay by no means recommends anyone base their decisions solely upon our suggestions. Nor is this information designed to take the place of your pediatrician.  We are simply supplying information for you to use in conjunction with the information provided by your pediatrician.

What are the ingredients in Hyland's & Humphrey's Teething Tablets #3?

(Hyland's & Humphrey Teething Pellets #3 are the two major brands). 

The following ingredients are found in most homeopathic teething tablets: 

Calcarea Phosphorica; a natural salt that assists the body in the absorption of calcium.

Coffea Cruda; a natural herb used for sleeplessness, alcohol withdrawal support and teething (contains no caffeine).

Belladonna; also known as "deadly nightshade," and used for centuries because of the anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic effects. This is the opiate that caused such concern. It is 0.0003% Alkaloids which is the amount in the tablets. 

Chamomilla; a natural wild flower often used in teas for because of the calming effects.

The tablets are in a base of Lactose (milk & sugar). 

What is Belladonna?

Belladonna also commonly referred to as "Deadly Nightshade," has been used in cosmetics and medicines dating back as far as the Roman Empire. The name belladonna translates to "beautiful lady," because Italian women used the juice of the belladonna berry to enlarge their pupils, giving them a striking appearance. 

Though belladonna leaves are poisonous and regarded as unsafe, they are often for used medicinal purposes because of their powerful antispasmodic agent. Some common uses are: for intestinal colic, as a sedative, to stop bronchial spasms in asthmatic patients, for whooping cough, as a cold and hay fever remedy, for Parkinson's disease, motion sickness, and as a painkiller. Belladonna has also been used in skin ointments for rheumatism, joint and leg pain, sciatica, and nerve pain (neuralgia). It has even been used for treating psychiatric disorders, behavior disorders, and hyperkinesis.

Now that you know what belladonna is, the history, and uses, it's important to understand exactly what happened regarding it's use in teething pellets, and what the FDA's opinion is. 

The FDA'S opinion

The FDA announced that Standard Homeopathic Company had voluntarily recalled assorted packages of Hyland's Teething Tablets. Standard Homeopathic, a company based out of Los Angeles, released a statement, "after in-depth analysis, a comprehensive review of the company's adverse events report log, and more that 85 years of safe usage, the company is confident that Hyland's Teething Tablets are safe for infants and toddlers."

Humphrey's All Natural Teething Pellets #3 has been around since 1854. The amount of belladonna contained is  .0003 percent. The company says that although there have been adverse events alleged, no conclusive link to the products have been determined. The FDA acknowledged reports of children who consumed more tablets than recommended, because the containers didn't have child resistant caps, which could have been the result of the reported problems. They have stated that they identified the process for manufacturing the tablets and can ensure improved uniformity of dosage. The recall was out of an abundance of caution.The FDA clearly states that it has not ever evaluated Hyland's for safety or efficacy and is not aware of any proven clinical benefit offered by the product. 

Solutions

Teething is a difficult time, often leaving parents at their wits end. When I spoke with the pediatrician's office they said, "using the teething tablets would not be unsafe, if the recommended dosage was used. For parents who need absolute proof, until more is known about belladonna, proven pain relievers such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen are the safest bets."  It is also important to remember that many medications, even those which are FDA approved, contain ingredients that could prove to be fatal if used improperly. 

Thoughts?

We would love to know your thoughts, what has worked for your family, and whether you used the teething tablets in the past and how you feel about them today. 

Miss Tammy's WeePlay in Tampa