Cause of Death: "Teething Convulsions"

[Keith Sherwood]

Have just received a death certificate for a 10-month-old girl who died in 1856, with the cause of death given as:"Teething Convulsions".
What might this have been, described in modern-day terms?
Thanks, Keith.

[M.T.H]

Hi Keith,

I found this on another genealogy site,it's not conclusive but will give you some idea about teething convulsions.

Babies often when teething get a very high temperature with a fever, which causes the convulsions and that is what causes the death. Even today a young child can get a high temperature with teething, but antibotics have stopped a
lot of the trouble but even so they used can catch other infections, such as scarlet fever and diphtheria. I have seen a lot of Victorian death certificates with the babies dying of "teething", poor little souls, they really didn't know
how to treat a fever and often killed the baby with ignorance.
Dianne Hughes ErrorSPAM REPORT THIS POST AS SPAM (Use 'Report to Moderator'). DO NOT CLICK ON ANY LINKS IN THIS POST. DO NOT REPLY TO THIS PERSON.][/color]

Hope this helps a bit,Mick

[Rick]

Keith

This sounds like some sort of a “febrile convulsion”  Infants have an underdeveloped hypothalamus which is the body’s thermostat.  In a nutshell, babies and infants cannot regulate their body temperature as well as adults, and if suffering from a fever, their bodies can become so hot that they begin to convulse.  If the body temperature is not reduced, this can lead to death.

Children who are teething often have a fever, and perhaps the child was also harbouring another infection, which led to an even greater rise in their temperature.

Rick

[minime]

I found a website from Minnesota that stated that a doctor also linked it to cerebal palsy. The website is www.neonatology.org. It comes up under adobe reader and is on page 1 of 8 toward the bottom, under 18th century the first incubator. Hope that helps. Try typing it under teething and convulsions and look for the Minnesota heading, otherwise that weblink takes you to the beginning of the site and it's hard to locate.

Minime

[Keith Sherwood]

Thanks Mick...and Rick,
I feel a rhymed response to you medical efforts on my behalf coming on, but you'll be pleased to hear that I'm going to resist the temptation!
A child's infancy must have been a terrifying ordeal for doting parents - until quite recently, I should imagine.
Keith

[Mobo]

 

Hi Keith,

It's always so sad reading the death certificates of babies and infants from those times.

I have one which is for a 13 month old boy who died from 'whopping cough - 7 days certified'.  As you say anything could carry them off then.

 
 

[carol8353]

I have just come across a Scottish ancestors baby who died age half an hour old.So sad. The baby was born at home prematurely and of course in 1889 nothing could be done.

My youngest son suffered febrile convulsions when teething (back teeth)
Straight to the docs for anti biotics and he was fine.
He's 25 soon 

Not sure if it wasn't easier back then than now though?
At least you knew where he was !!

I digress...

Carol

[molar]

Please do not assume a baby with a high temperature is" teething".
Years ago people thought this was a cause of fever but although a baby teething may drool, have a red cheek or cheeks and be irritable any fever in a child should not be ignored.
Lots of childhood illnesses occur in the first three years of life and the appearance of teeth is co-incidental. Teething does not require antibiotics but other conditions may need medical intervention.

[Keith Sherwood]

Appropriately enough, Molar, your helpful suggestions nicely bring the curtain down on this little "Teething" problem.  Which reminds me, I have a dental appointment during half-term next week...
Thanks so much for all those responses.
keith