Your baby has white patches in the mouth that are interfering with feeding. The doctor says that it is thrush. So, what is thrush? Well, read on to find out.
What is thrush? Why does my baby have thrush?
Thrush is a common fungal infection caused by a type of yeast called Candida albicans. It is a harmless infection that causes oral thrush in babies with characteristic cottage cheese like lesions on the tongue, the cheeks, and roof of the baby’s mouth. Underneath the lesions, the skin is red and can bleed when scraped.
Don’t be scared. You are not alone. Oral thrush is common in infants, and about one in seven babies get thrush at some point. Although it’s common for infants below two months, it can also affect older children. Normally, it is usually harmless and easy to treat.
How do you know that it is thrush?
- The white patches looks like cottage cheese and don’t rub or wash off easily.
- If your baby is unsettled and is reluctant to feed. He may cry during breastfeeding or when sucking on the feeding bottle because the mouth is sore. He may also detach frequently from the breasts.
- Cracking of the corners of the mouth when they open the mouth.
- Loss of taste.
- Difficulty in swallowing foods.
- Some babies may get nappy rash.
What causes babies to get thrush?
Fungus is not all that bad. It’s normal and healthy to have a few fungi in the mouth, and it is often harmless. Actually, a few microorganisms live on the body in an average healthy person in the mouth and the digestive tract. They are often harmless until when they overgrow and increase in number. So what causes oral thrush in babies?
Babies have an immature immune system
Oral thrush in babies occurs because their immune system may not resist infection. Yeast may multiply because the immune regime of the baby is still underdeveloped and cannot control the growth of candida. Oral thrush infection sets in when there is an imbalance of the good and bad bacteria in your baby’s mouth. The fungus overgrows and causes infection on the membranes of the mouth.
Antibiotics
If your baby had recently been treated with antibiotics, the baby might then also get thrush. Antibiotics reduce the amount of healthy bacteria in the mouth, which allows the fungus to grow. Also, if you’re still breastfeeding mother, and you were on antibiotic medication recently, you can pass the drugs to the baby during breastfeeding. That can also cause an imbalance of the good and the bad bacteria and can lead your baby to suffer from thrush.
Mom to baby thrush infection
Mom and babies transmit thrush to each other back and forth. Often mothers who had a yeast infection during pregnancy can transmit a yeast infection to the baby in the birth canal during the delivery process. The baby with thrush then passes the infection to the mother during breastfeeding on the nipples.
Poor hygiene
If the pacifiers or bottle feeding bottle nipples are not cleaned properly, your baby can get thrush. Fungi loves sugar a lot. So, if the equipment it not cleaned properly it allows fungi to thrive. Using non-sterile feeding bottles then makes your baby get a yeast infection.
Is thrush painful for babies?
Thrush may be painful in some infants. There’s nothing as saddening like a baby in pain. The baby may be hungry but refuse to feed and be unsettled and uncomfortable. The lesions often get painful if left untreated or if the lesions are bruised during feeding and cause bleeding. The doctor will most likely look to prescribe acetaminophen for the pain relief.
Home remedies for thrush in babies. How to use them to prevent thrush.
Does your child get recurrent bouts of thrush and you’re wondering how to cure thrush in babies? While there are various thrush treatment for babies, there are also various ways to curb the menace before it starts. Prevention is better than cure and thrush can be prevented.
Proper Hygiene
Thoroughly clean all feeding equipment including bottle nipples, all pieces of a breast pump and pacifiers regularly and sterilise them in hot water after use. You can also use water and vinegar then let them dry. Also, disinfect toys that your baby puts in their mouth. This will help to kill the yeast to avoid reinfection. If you express your milk ensure that it is covered and placed in the refrigerator to prevent the growth of yeast.
As a breastfeeding mom you can use nursing pads to prevent the fungus from spreading to your clothes. Then wash and disinfect them after use.
Change your baby’s diapers regularly to prevent fungal diaper rash. Ensure that you wash your hands after changing the diaper to stop spreading the thrush infection.
Prevent mother to child infection
To avoid transmission from a mother to the newborn during delivery, pregnant women should get treated for vaginal yeast infection before they plan to give birth. Painful, cracked and sensitive nipples that change color may indicate a problem that needs to be checked.
If your nipples are red and sore, chances are you might have the infection, and you and your baby will pass it on back and forth. If the baby has oral thrush, they may pass it to you while breastfeeding. Ensure that you promptly seek medical attention if you have nipple discharge or pain to avoid passing the thrush infection that can be transmitted to the baby. You can air the breasts in between feeds.
Probiotics therapy for curing thrush.
When treating thrush in babies, it’s advisable to keep it natural. Probiotics such as yogurt or acidophilus supplements restore the normal balance of microbial flora in the mouth. Avoid excessive use of antibiotics because they reduce immunity and increase the susceptibility to yeast infections.
What over the counter medicines are there for mothers who want to rid their babies of thrush?
Often thrush in babies can clear up on its own in a few weeks. Consult your doctor if you suspect that your baby has thrush especially if it’s recurrent. Doctors often prescribe antifungal oral thrush treatment for babies. And an antifungal cream for the mother’s breasts. The two common oral antifungal medications include miconazole and nystatin.
Miconazole to treat thrush.
Miconazole is often the first line of treatment that doctors prescribe. However, it should not be used to treat thrush in babies less than four months unless if the doctor prescribes it.
Apply the cream on the white patches after every feed using a clean finger or sponge applicator, then wipe off before the next feed. Don’t apply on the back of the throat and use a little at a time to prevent choking. Use the cream several times a day until the infection clears to prevent recurrence of the infection. If the infection does not clear after a week of using the medication, consult your doctor.
Nystatin for curing a baby of thrush.
Nystatin is an alternative oral thrush treatment for babies. It is in liquid form, and you can use a dropper to apply the drops to the affected area, including the tongue and the cheeks. It is used in treating thrush in babies when miconazole is not effective to clear the thrush, or it is not suitable for the baby. Nystatin often doesn’t cause any side effects.
The doctor may prescribe Nystatin or Lotrimin to apply to your nipples to prevent back and forth infection from you and your baby. Consult the doctor if the thrush prolongs more than seven days after starting treatment.
Fluconazole for thrush in older children.
The doctor may prescribe Fluconazole for older children. However, for older children, it is important to check for the underlying diseases such as HIV/AIDS and Diabetes. Treatment of the underlying problem may stop further infection and minimizes recurrence. Continue with the treatment until the thrush is cleared.
Ok, now you know what is causing thrush on your baby. The next step is to look at the most popular products on the market for helping you treat the thrush your baby is suffering.
Three of the best oral thrush treatments for babies are:
3. PRO-Kids: Children’s Probiotics
Pro-Kids probiotics is a natural oral thrush treatment for babies. It gives your child a good foundation of a strong immune system because it restores the natural balance of microbial flora in the body. Antibiotics and other medication can affect the balance of bacteria that boosts immunity.
The probiotics are made with a patented technology that ensures that the pills get to the intestinal tract intact. The probiotics are resistant to stomach acid and will be effective. Does your child have difficulty to swallow that it becomes a strenuous time full of drama? Worry not. The pills are very small and easy to swallow. It is made from natural ingredients and had no added flavors, sweeteners or artificial color.
The downside is that no matter how small the pills are, some children may still fear to swallow. Also, if you keep the package open for long the culture may die and make the pills much less effective. So you will need to buy in smaller packages or you will have to refrigerate them.
Amazon review – Christy Con – 
(5 / 5) – “They also work good! The first week of the daughter taking them we saw improvement in her sleeping. She slept an average of an hour longer and quit getting up in the middle of the night.”
2. Daktarin Oral Gel Miconazole
Daktarin Oral Gel is used as a treatment for oral thrush in babies. The active ingredient of the gel is Miconazole. It can be used by toddlers older than four months. It clears fungal infections in the mouth and prevents the spread of the infection.
Daktarin Oral Gel kills yeast cells by interfering with their membranes and creates holes in them. Since the cell membranes are vital for fungi survival, once they are destroyed they die. Apply a small amount of the gel is on the white patches with a clean finger or the applicator enclosed in the bottle.
However, the downside is that the tube is small. Some customers complained that one tube is inadequate. So you will need to buy about three tubes for the dose.
Amazon review – SK – (5 / 5) – “Did clear up my Newborns Thrush within a day.”
Amazon review – SmanG – (5 / 5) – “This gel worked wonders for my toddler! Overnight it cleared up his mouth infection! No need for a prescription that takes days to work! I would recommend this product 100%.”
1. Aquaflora Candida High Potency
Aquaflora Candida high potency is effective against multiple strains of candida. It is made from safe and natural ingredients that are safe for your child. It has no alcohol, sugar, dairy or gluten. Moreover, unlike some thrush treatment for babies, it is odor free and taste free. It is designed to work quickly and provides fast relief.
However, the downside is that the package is in small quantities and you may need to purchase more than one bottle.
Amazon review – Noodlenoodle – (5 / 5) – “My 15 month old had a terrible diaper rash yeast infection. Topical treatments didn’t help at all. I bought this stuff and WOW. It was like magic. He still takes a small dose every day to keep the yeast away. This stuff is amazing.”
Oral thrush is a menace when it affects babies, and it’s the last thing you want your baby to suffer from as a loving parent!
They become so uncomfortable and the pain caused from thrush can then interfere with their feeding. More so, your sleep will suffer as you worry that your baby is unwell and is suffering pain due to thrush.
You already know how irritable a hungry baby is. The sight is pitiful, when they can’t feed because the mouth is sore. But at the same time they can’t stay hungry.
The best solution is to treat the underlying problem – which is oral thrush in this case – if you want your baby to be happy. A happy baby is a happy parent!