In pediatric practice, thrush in an infant is considered quite common . This is a well-known disease that every child suffers at least once. Many parents are interested in what symptoms the disease accompanies and how dangerous it is.
Thrush in an infant: causes
The causative agent of the disease are fungi of the genus Candida, which affect the mucous membranes of the oral cavity. In infancy, the baby’s immune system is just starting to form, so it’s more vulnerable to such infections. There are two methods of infection:
- Most often, the infection enters the oral cavity of the child due to insufficient hygiene. For example, fungi may be contained in an unwashed nipple or on a toy. They can also be on the mother’s chest and any thing that appears in the baby’s mouth.
- Another way of transmission is also possible - if the mother is a carrier of fungi, then infection can occur during childbirth when passing through the birth canal.
Thrush in an infant: risk groups
In fact, not all children suffer from thrush. There are the following risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing a disease:
- Weakened immunity.
- Premature babies.
- Taking antibiotics, since these drugs destroy not only pathogenic, but also beneficial microflora, which in turn leads to the active reproduction of fungal organisms.
- Frequent thrush affects children who often spit up, as excellent conditions are created in the oral cavity for the reproduction and growth of fungi.
Thrush in the child's mouth: the main symptoms
Thrush is accompanied by very characteristic signs that are difficult not to notice:
- First, whitish spots appear on the mucous membrane of the mouth. As the disease develops, they begin to become covered with a white curd coating, which is easy to notice when the baby is crying.
- Thrush in an infant is accompanied by severe itching and even pain. Therefore, a sick baby refuses to eat, often naughty and crying.
How to treat thrush in children?
A child with such signs should be shown to a doctor. And although thrush is not considered a dangerous disease, do not self-medicate. Today, there are many drugs for treating the disease - for the most part, these are solutions that need to be lubricated in the oral cavity several times a day. Sometimes doctors recommend using a weak solution of baking soda for this purpose. And, of course, you need to follow some precautions that will not only accelerate the healing process, but also prevent the likelihood of recurrence of the disease:
- Carefully monitor hygiene. Remember that the pacifier and bottle must be washed and rinsed with boiling water before each feeding. If the baby is breastfed, then do not forget about breast hygiene.
- You need to monitor the cleanliness of toys, as well as all items that a child takes in his mouth.
- It is necessary to rinse the child's oral cavity after each regurgitation. You can give your baby boiled water from a spoon or bottle.
- Do not forget about strengthening the baby's immunity, monitor nutrition, more often be in the fresh air.