Oral thrush

What is oral thrush?

Oral thrush is an infection of the mouth. The infection occurs most often in babies in the first year of life.

Signs and symptoms of thrush

The main symptoms of oral thrush are:

• white lesions that look like cottage cheese may appear on your baby's tongue (these lesions may appear on the inner cheeks and gums, and sometimes on the roof of the mouth)
• occasionally pain, fussiness or irritability, and difficulty feeding

Breast-feeding women infected by the baby's mouth during breastfeeding may have:

• red, sensitive or itchy nipples
• flaky or shiny skin on the areola
• pain during nursing
• sharp pains deep within the breast

Causes of thrush

Oral thrush is caused by an overgrowth of yeast. The yeast is called candida albicans. The yeast occurs naturally in the mouth. The infection occurs when there is more yeast in the mouth than normal.

Thrush is common in babies. It can be caused by medications like antibiotics or corticosteroids.

Risk factors

Thrush is more likely to develop in:

• normal healthy babies
• babies with weak immune systems
• babies taking antibiotics or corticosteroids

Treating thrush

Your child's doctor will physically examine your child. If thrush is diagnosed, the doctor may prescribe antifungal drops. If the mother is breastfeeding, the doctor may prescribe antifungal lotion to apply to your nipples so your baby does not get infected again.

Preventing thrush

In order to prevent another infection, thoroughly clean nipples, baby bottles and soothers. Another way to prevent oral thrush is to eat certain foods. If your baby is old enough, offer them unsweetened yogurt or acidophilus liquid to help reduce or prevent the infection.

Complications

Oral thrush is rarely a severe problem for healthy babies. Usually it does not hurt or affect feeding. If your child has a weak immune system, thrush can be more serious. In such cases, the infection can spread to the digestive tract, blood, lungs, liver and other body organs.

When to seek medical assistance

Once you notice creamy yellow or white spots on the tongue, gums or lining of the mouth, see the doctor. This is very important if your baby seems unwell or is feeding poorly.