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Thrush in babies and older children can occur on the tongue and mucous membranes. They are most often caused by Candida albicans.
Baby thrush is a type of topical infection of the mucosa caused by a fungus (yeast). Candida albicans. Sometimes the infection is also caused by fungi of the family Histoplasma, Blastomyces and other opportunistic mushrooms. The lesions can appear in the mouth, on the tongue and on the palate in the form of white spots resembling curdled milk.
Single spots may merge into larger ones, creating a uniform layer of the fungus in the form of a white skin. Occasionally, thrush can affect the entire oral cavity, i.e. the soft and hard palate, the cheek mucosa, gums, and the tongue. There have also been reports of the infection spreading to the larynx, trachea and further to the bronchi. Newborns and infants are the group of patients most frequently observed with thrush. Occasionally, infections can occur in old children and adults. Do not ignore this ailment, it is important to implement the correct procedures.
Mushrooms from the group Candida causing thrush can be present in the human body (on the skin, in the mouth) and not cause any changes. However, the use of antibiotics can eliminate the part of the natural bacterial flora that does not allow this species of fungus to multiply too much. Then the mucosa becomes infected with yeast Candida.
The child most often becomes infected with yeast while passing through the mother’s genital tract (primary infection). Pregnant women are particularly exposed to various fungal infections. White coating in the mouth is most common in newborns (mainly premature babies) and children who are treated with antibiotics (antibiotics destroy “good” bacteria whose task is to protect our body against intruders), suffer from cancer, have undergone organ transplantation. Getting rid of thrush is sometimes difficult. It requires patience on the part of both the child and parents.
Thrush in babies and older children – other factors that increase the risk of:
- prematurity – a high risk of thrush occurs in newborns born too early; it may be related to the insufficient or poorly developed immunity of the child;
- decompensated diabetes;
- inadequate hygiene – touching contaminated / dirty objects or lack of hygiene when dealing with other sick people is of particular importance. Infection can occur when giving your baby a dirty teat or licking it; dirty toys or poorly prepared meals also increase the risk of thrush;
- history of thrush – the risk of relapse increases in people with childhood thrush.
- the infant’s underdeveloped immune system;
- HIV infection;
- malnutrition;
- steroid therapy or immunosuppressive therapy.
Remember that infant thrush is contagious and even a kiss can pass the infection on to another person. Unfortunately, fungal infections of various origins are diagnosed more and more often.
Thrush in an infant – symptoms
Characteristic features of thrush in a child:
- white, lumpy coating resembling cottage cheese / cut cheese on the oral mucosa. Most often it is located on the tongue, palate, gums and the inside of the cheeks. Without proper treatment, the thrush spreads to larger areas, including the larynx and trachea; the lumps may sometimes be white-gray and clustered;
- mild thrush does not cause discomfort and pain, it occurs when symptoms worsen; then patients have problems swallowing food and fluids, they experience severe pain;
- trying to wipe off the white coating with a gauze pad or finger is not a simple matter, and when it does – it causes redness or bleeding;
- the acute form of thrush causes not only loss of appetite (due to pain when swallowing), but also hoarseness, anxiety, sometimes vomiting; the child is generally irritable.
Thrush can be one of the symptoms of a fungal infection, but you shouldn’t finish your treatment after getting rid of them. In any case, diagnostics in terms of the digestive system should be extended. To this end, the doctor conducts a thorough medical interview with the patient and looks for possible causes of low immunity. The mycosis affecting the esophagus and stomach does not show any characteristic symptoms.
The main symptoms of the disease are:
- nausea,
- belching,
- indigestion,
- epigastric pain,
- lack of appetite
- weight loss (associated with a lack of appetite).
The symptoms listed above may also be accompanied by: diarrhea, flatulence, abdominal pain and gastrointestinal bleeding (when the mycosis also affects the lower gastrointestinal tract). The occurrence of the above-mentioned ailments requires taking a smear from the lesion and sending it for a microbiological examination. The basis of diagnostics is microscopic examination, cultivation and determination of the type of fungus that caused the infection and its sensitivity to antifungal preparations.
Thrush is not a dangerous infection. However, they can be painful for your baby and make it difficult to eat. The lesions will not go away on their own, treatment is necessary. If you notice white spots in the baby’s mouth, do not act on your own, consult a pediatrician. The doctor, taking into account the child’s age and the degree of advancement of the changes, will select the appropriate preparations (some of them are available only on prescription).
Thrush diagnosis
The diagnosis of widespread thrush that is resistant to treatment consists in looking for their causes. The most important thing is to rule out HIV, which causes a large number of opportunistic infections. These types of infections cause harmless pathogens which, in a normal / healthy person with a good immune system, do not cause infection or any symptoms. In turn, in people with a compromised immune system, they can lead to serious diseases. In addition, it should be checked that the patient does not get cancer from time to time. If a gastrointestinal infection is suspected, gastroscopy and colonoscopy are performed. These two tests are likely to exclude or confirm mycosis.
Thrush in an infant – treatment
Thrush in babies and older people, caused by an infection with Candida albicans, is treated with topical antifungal preparations. The doctor may also recommend brushing the mucosa several times a day with a 1% solution of crystal violet (gentians) or a 25% solution of borax in glycerin and water. However, it should be remembered that the use of gentian in large amounts may lead to mouth and throat ulcers, especially in breastfed babies. In the treatment, it is also recommended to use gels and creams available at the pharmacy, which soothe pain and accelerate the regeneration of thrush.
The method of treatment is really very simple! However, remember to take your medications regularly and do not stop treatment before the period prescribed by your doctor.
Remember!
1. Mushrooms spread very easily through contact. That is why it is so important to follow the rules of hygiene. Wash your hands often!
2. If your baby has a soother, make sure it is sterile.
3. If you are still breastfeeding, remember about proper hygiene and thorough breast washing. Examine the skin of both breasts and check if you have developed an infection as well. If necessary, coat the affected skin with the same preparation that you use for your child (unless your doctor tells you otherwise).
4. Avoid contact with the mucous membranes of the sick person (using the same cutlery, kissing).
5. Pay attention to items that your child puts in their mouth, especially toys. e.g. dirty rattle.
Disseminated fungal infections are much more difficult to treat. Then the therapy is long and often causes side effects, because most antifungal preparations strongly affect the human metabolism, and thus can damage the liver.
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