How to treat thrush in babies?
Thrush, which manifests itself as cotton-like lesions on the palate, tongue and cheeks in babies, is caused by a fungal parasite called candida albicans. Although it is generally common in newborn babies, it can be seen in all babies up to the age of one.
Causes of thrush
The mother’s excessive use of antibiotics and hormonal changes during pregnancy cause fungal growth. Albicans, which enters the baby’s respiratory tract and digestive system at birth, appears in the first week. Thrush, also known as moniliasis, can cause serious infections in the lungs of babies if left untreated. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies such as folic acid, B12 and iron, some food allergies, and the baby being under stress are among the causes of thrush. In addition, thrush infection in the mother can be transmitted to the baby through breastfeeding, or the infection in the baby can cause infection in the mother’s breasts. Using undisinfected pacifiers and feeding bottles causes infection in the mouth.
Thrush symptoms
If the lesions, which look like a layer of white mold inside the mouth, on the cheeks, tongue, hard and soft palate, are scraped, wounds resembling burnt skin appear on the lower layer. Bleeding and ulcer-like wounds cause pain if left untreated. Babies may lose their desire to suck due to oral thrush. Babies who have difficulty in sucking and swallowing experience loss of appetite and weight loss. Symptoms such as restlessness, reluctance, and irritability may occasionally be accompanied by a mild fever. Thrush is more common in premature babies. Although thrush is more common in the mouth and tongue, thrush can also be seen in the anus. Anal thrush, which manifests itself as a red layer, can be confused with diaper rash. The infection in the baby can be passed to the mother through breastfeeding. Tenderness, redness and itching in the nipple, scaly rashes on the skin in the area around the nipple, pain in the breast and pain during breastfeeding are symptoms of thrush infection seen in the mother.
thrush treatment
Thrush is not a disease that goes away on its own and must be treated. White, cotton-like lesions in the mouth should not be cleaned by hand. Otherwise, the mucus layer of the mouth will be disrupted and the infection may spread further. One of the most common mistakes in the treatment of thrush is cleaning the lesions with baking soda. Baking soda does not have any therapeutic effect on the disease. In the first stage, the white mold layer seems to have disappeared, but it recurs after a short time and this time it returns with a much more severe situation. Medication for thrush is used under the supervision of a doctor. Since it is a fungal infection, antimycotic drops are given to the baby for 7-10 days. If the mother’s breast also has an infection, antifungal medications used for the baby can be applied to the nipple. All pacifiers and feeding bottles used by the baby must be sterilized and the mother must pay attention to the cleanliness of the nipple.
