Candida albicans is yeast that naturally occurs in the digestive tract, including the mouth. Babies may experience an overgrowth of yeast, causing a yeast infection. Symptoms affect the mouth or the skin. Although yeast infections frequently affect women, babies--including boys--can suffer from a yeast infection. It is common in infants under the age of six months, according to KidsHealth. Treatment for the condition depends on the severity and location of the yeast.
Diabetes
A baby with type 1 diabetes has an increased risk of developing a yeast infection. Diabetes may cause a weakness in the immune system, which may increase the baby's susceptibility to developing a yeast infection. The increased blood sugar in the body also increases. The yeast feeds off the increased levels of sugar, especially from the saliva in the mouth. For many babies, the first symptom of diabetes is a yeast infection that may manifest as a red, tender rash in the diaper area, according to MayoClinic.com.
Warm, Moist Body Areas
A yeast infection may occur on the skin for a baby boy. Warm, moist environments allow yeast to grow on the skin. A common location for a baby to have a yeast infection on the skin is in the diaper area. A diaper rash caused by yeast may begin in the skin creases and spread throughout the diaper area. Under the neck is another location that a baby who drools may trap yeast and allow the infection to occur in that area.
Antibiotics
A baby boy taking antibiotics for a bacterial infection, such as an ear infection, increases his risk for developing a yeast infection. Antibiotics do not discriminate against the bacteria they kill and may decrease the amounts of healthy bacteria in the body along with the unhealthy, leaving Candida the opportunity to overgrow in the body. The increased yeast may appear as thrush in the mouth or as a diaper rash.
Transfer From the Mother
A pregnant woman with an active vaginal yeast infection may pass the yeast to her newborn baby during childbirth, putting the baby at risk for developing an active yeast infection. A breastfeeding baby may get thrush from the mother while nursing. A yeast infection for a breastfeeding mother may cause the nipples to have redness and pain.
