Thrush infections are a common malady in infants. Infant immune systems take time to develop fully. These infections are mostly minor and self-limiting, disappearing within two weeks. If the infection is not gone within two weeks, or if you are troubled by any symptoms the child may have, call your physician. Your physician can assess the infection, check for underlying conditions, prescribe needed medication, and schedule follow-up care if needed.
The Organism
Forms of the Candida yeast cause thrush. These organisms normally live in the mouth in small amounts, held in check by the beneficial bacteria that live there. If these beneficial bacteria are in short supply, the Candida organism can grow abundantly in the mouth, causing thrush. In addition, infants also can be exposed to Candida infection at birth if the mother has an active vaginal yeast infection and delivers vaginally.
Identifying the Infection
Thrush is identified by the presence of velvety white spots on the tongue, gums, inner cheeks and lips of the child's mouth. These patches adhere to the inside of the mouth toward the front. The tissue beneath these spots may look bright red and bleed slightly when touched. The physician may perform mouth scrapings or culture the white patches to confirm the diagnosis.
Long-lasting Thrush in Children
Children who have thrush that is hard to eradicate and lasts longer than two weeks may have an underlying condition that predisposes them to the illness. Infants and children with stubborn cases of thrush may have diabetes, a condition in which high sugar levels in the body provide a good environment for the yeasts to thrive. Contact your physician if your child has had thrush longer than two weeks, is having pain when feeding, is running a fever, is not urinating as frequently as usual, or has any other symptom that is causing concern.
Children With Immune System Problems
Children may develop thrush when their immune system is compromised and allows overgrowth of the Candida organism. The child who is chronically ill, who has cancer or is taking chemotherapy, has HIV/AIDS, or has had an organ transplant may sometimes develop a stubborn case of thrush. Children who have been treated with large doses of antibiotics or have been treated for a long time with these drugs may also develop thrush when the beneficial bacteria of the mouth have been wiped out, allowing overgrowth of Candida in the oral cavity. Contact your physician if your child has immune system problems and has symptoms of thrush so that treatment can begin quickly.
Treatment
In healthy infants, no treatment for thrush is necessary unless it is painful and affects feeding or lasts longer than two weeks. In these cases, the physician may wish to prescribe anti-fungal medication such Nystatin or gentian violet, which is taken by mouth. Make sure to follow the physician's instructions for administering medications. Wash hands frequently and sterilize bottles, nipples and pacifiers to prevent reinfection. For a child with a sore mouth due to thrush, reduce the time for bottle feeding to 20 minutes to ease pain caused by sucking, or offer feeding though a syringe, cup or spoon.
