How to Treat Baby Thrush?
Does Your Baby Have Thrush?
Oral Thrush can affect newborn babies. It is a fungal infection that is the result of Candida Albicans, a yeast development. As children get older, they are less susceptible to contracting oral thrush as this illness tends not to affect healthy children and adults. Though thrush can be uncomfortable, it is not a dangerous illness.
How do you know if your newborn has oral thrush? You will see symptoms such as a build up in the inside of their mouth and on their tongue. The buildup resembles cottage cheese. It tends to appear in newborns less than two months old but can sometimes appear in older babies. Oral thrush is caused by an imbalance of yeast in the digestive system.
The reason that newborns are most susceptible to oral thrush is that their immune systems are weak. Oral thrush may also come about as the baby’s hormones change. It can also be transferred by a mother who is taking antibiotics and breastfeeding. Improper hygiene and dirty bottles can also activate the illness.
Oral thrush is treated with medication such as nystatin suspension or miconazole gels. The baby’s mouth gets coated with the medication about three-to-four times daily for a period of about a week. The mother should also apply the medication to her nipples. If these medications do not help the situation, a single dose of Diflucan can be administered to the baby. If your child is older and still gets oral thrush, take him/her to the pediatrician immediately. This may signify an immune system problem.
To avoid oral thrush, keep the baby’s mouth clean. This means not letting anyone put their fingers in the baby’s mouth. Also, the baby’s bottles and pacifiers should be washed well after every use. If, when the mother is pregnant, she exhibits signs of a yeast infection, she too should be treated during her last trimester of pregnancy.
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