Although thrush more commonly affects infants, older children also develop oral Candida infections. Recently taking antibiotics or chemotherapy drugs, as well as certain medical conditions such as immunosuppression, may cause throat thrush in older children, leading to symptoms such as oral and esophageal lesions, bleeding and pain. If left untreated, throat thrush often spreads to other parts of the body, especially the genital and anal regions.
Lesions
Children with oral thrush frequently develop lesions in their throats, tonsils and mouths, including on the tongue, soft and hard palates and gums. The lesions usually appear white with the texture either like cottage cheese or thick cream, explains the Mayo Clinic website. Touching the lesions with the hands or with a toothbrush when brushing the teeth often leads to pain. Eating roughly textured foods or tough-to-chew foods such as popcorn or meat could irritate the lesions, resulting in further pain. Use of certain oral care products, especially those containing alcohol or harsh chemical ingredients, also irritates the lesions. If the thrush infection persists, new lesions often appear as the old ones heal. Prescription mouthwashes and lozenges for older children help reduce the severity of the lesions.
Bleeding
When your child brushes his teeth, bleeding often occurs in the areas with lesions. When opening his mouth wide to smile, play a musical instrument or even talk, throat thrush often causes the corners of your child’s mouth and lips to bleed. Your child might also notice a metallic taste in his mouth from the bleeding, especially after eating. Bleeding of the oral lesions is also common after a physician conducts an examination of your child’s mouth. Brushing with a soft toothbrush helps decrease bleeding in the mouth until the lesions heal.
Decreased Appetite
If your child’s throat thrush is widespread, his sense of taste is often dulled due to the growth of the yeast. Due to the pain and irritation in his mouth, your child might refuse to eat his usual foods or request only semisolid, soft foods, such as hot cereal, soup or pudding, that do not scrape against the lesions and easily slide down his throat. If the infection makes its way well down into your child’s esophagus, this often causes a sensation of food getting stuck in the throat along with difficulty of swallowing even soft foods.
Widespread Infection
If your child’s throat thrush is severe or left untreated, the fungal growth often spreads to other parts of the body. In girls, the fungal growth often manifests as a vaginal yeast infection. Symptoms of throat thrush spread to the vaginal area include foul odor, discharge, redness of the genital area, itching and a burning sensation upon urination. In boys, throat thrush can also spread to the genital region, causing symptoms including itching and redness, similar to jock itch. In children who are not yet potty trained, throat thrush often spreads to the diaper area, causing redness and scaly skin around the genital and anal areas. Allowing your child to go without a diaper or underpants for a while helps reduce moisture that feeds the fungus, and over-the-counter antifungal creams treat the skin symptoms.
