Prevention and treatment of thrush in children is not difficult

Thrush in children is quite common due to the sudden growth of the fungus Candida . However, there are several ways you can help prevent and treat this disease.

Thrush makes children feel uncomfortable and painful but do not know how to completely treat it? Do not worry too much because aFamilyToday Health will reveal to you the effective solutions.

Several causes of thrush in children

1. Medicines

There is a group of drugs that can cause a bacterial imbalance in a child's body, leading to an overgrowth of yeast. Some medicines that can cause thrush in a child are antibiotics and corticosteroids.

2. Poor health condition

If a child has complex health disorders, the body's immune system weakens and increases the risk of developing thrush. The disorders that cause Candida yeast (causing thrush) are cancer, HIV infection ...

3. Mushrooms in the mouth

Candida is typically found in the mouth and mucous membranes of everyone. When the yeast rate is below normal, it does not harm the baby, but when the conditions are right, the yeast can spread to the tissues and cause thrush in children.

4. Weak immune system

The weak immune system will be unable to fight off yeast overgrowth. As a result, the yeast that grows will spread to different parts of the body such as the mouth and skin.

5. Diabetes

If your child has diabetes , the risk of thrush is higher. Increased blood sugar causes Candida overgrowth. Children with diabetes are more likely to develop thrush.

6. Dry mouth

If your child often experiences dry mouth, the risk of thrush is also higher. Dry mouth occurs when overusing mouthwash or other mouthwash gels. Sjögren's syndrome also increases dry mouth in children.

7. Unsanitary habits

Children who do not know how to brush their teeth can be easily infected by an overgrowth of yeast. Unsanitary eating and playing habits increase the risk of thrush.

Symptoms of thrush in children

Most of the time, your child's thrush will go away within a certain time. If you suffer from chronic thrush, the disease can last a long time and make your child uncomfortable. Some of the obvious symptoms of thrush that you may notice are:

1. White patches inside the mouth

A white patch will appear in your baby's mouth and tongue. Mild lesions may appear on the child's inner cheek, palate, gums, tonsils, or throat. These plaques look like cheese or milk stuck in the baby's mouth, but can cause bleeding if rubbed hard.

2. Swelling of the mouth

Children may have a sore mouth and have difficulty swallowing food.

3. Difficulty swallowing

White patches spread all over the baby's mouth, affecting the esophagus, making it difficult for the baby to swallow food. In severe cases, the infection can also spread outside the esophagus and cause pain or high fever.

4. Bored of eating

Your baby may not be interested in eating because his throat is sore. When not eating much, babies feel tired and uncomfortable.

5. Pale mouth

Due to oral thrush , your baby may feel like he always has a pale mouth and doesn't feel good.

6. Redness

Thrush can also lead to symptoms such as redness or cracks in the inside of the mouth.

How is thrush diagnosed in children?

Doctors often diagnose the development of the disease by examining characteristic white patches in the baby's mouth. A close examination of the mouth can also help diagnose whether the yeast has spread to other parts of the body. To confirm a preliminary diagnosis, the doctor can scrape off the white patches present in the baby's mouth and examine the sample under a microscope to confirm specificity.

The fungus that causes thrush can also spread further down a child's throat and into the esophagus. In that case, your doctor may recommend the following tests:

1. Endoscopy

A small camera attached to a flexible tube is used to examine the stomach, esophagus and the upper part of the small intestine. The doctor will pass the tube with a camera through the child's throat. If the picture shows white plaque deposits in the esophagus or stomach, they will be scraped off for further diagnosis.

2. Take a sample from the child's throat to check

During this procedure, the health professional will use a sterile gauze pad to wipe the baby's throat. After measurement, this sample is cultured for detailed examination.

3. Blood test

If your child has ever had a yeast infection due to a medical condition, your doctor may recommend a complete blood test . A blood test can help diagnose if your child has diabetes and check for possible fungal infections due to high blood sugar. It is important that you try to keep your baby's blood sugar under control.

How to treat thrush in young children

1. Antifungal drugs

To prevent the overgrowth of fungi, your doctor can prescribe medication? Antifungal infant. This medicine comes in a variety of different types such as tablets, syrup or lozenges. If your baby has difficulty swallowing food, you should give him a syrup. The duration of treatment and the drug will completely depend on the age and condition of the baby. The doctor may prescribe some antifungal medications, such as fluconazole or itraconazole, for the baby if the disease is spreading to the esophagus.

2. Antifungal cream

If your nursing baby has thrush, your doctor will prescribe an antifungal cream to apply to your nipples.

How to prevent thrush for babies?

There are several effective preventive measures to reduce Candida growth.

1. Rinse your child's mouth thoroughly

The active ingredients of corticosteroids can upset the balance of good bacteria in the child's body so infections thrive. If you need to use inhalers containing corticosteroids regularly, your baby needs to rinse their mouth carefully after using the inhaler.

2. Brush your teeth regularly

You should practice your child the habit of brushing his teeth twice a day. Use dental floss and brush your teeth regularly can prevent the growth of Candida.

3. Periodic dental examination

Regularly take your baby to the dentist to check the baby's teeth and promptly treat. If your child has diabetes, the risk of oral disease is higher, so you need to see your child twice a month.

4. Limit your child's sugar consumption

You should clearly set the amount of sugary foods your baby eats. Eating chocolate or a sugar-sweetened dessert once a week may not be harmful, but don't let your child get addicted to sweets. The amount of sugar that exists in desserts can stimulate the growth of Candida fungus, causing thrush and causing the baby to experience pain and discomfort in the mouth.

5. Control your baby's blood sugar

Uncontrolled blood sugar can cause the Candida fungus to grow and spread. This not only causes thrush but also causes disease in other parts of the body. To prevent a bad situation from happening, parents should control their baby's blood sugar, especially if they have diabetes.

6. The amount of drug absorbed into the body

When your doctor gives antibiotics to treat the illness, you can add acidophilus tablets to your baby's diet. Medications can help stop the spread of Candida fungus in your child's body.

When you need a doctor?

Normally, the white patches will go away in about 3-4 days. However, if the condition persists, you should seek medical attention. Here are some of the signs that you should take your child to see a doctor for check and treatment:

• White patches seem to be spreading to other parts of the baby's mouth
• Baby often has a high fever and a rapid rise in body temperature
• Baby has had thrush in the past and recurs more often than usual.