What is Thrush and How Can You Tell If Your Baby Has It

By Kristi Patrice Carter

Every mother worries about her newborn baby’s health. It can be frightening to hear your baby has thrush, but it is not a life-threatening condition. Once diagnosed, the treatment for thrush can be simple and harmless.

Thrush is a common infection in the mouth caused by a fungus called Candida Albicans. This fungus is a form of yeast, which is prevalent in the human body. Newborns typically develop thrush around 7 to 10 days after birth. Infants can get thrush from the mother’s birth canal, as this fungus is typically found in the vagina. Once an infant has thrush, it is not uncommon for that infant to develop thrush more than once.

The signs of thrush include:

• White spots on the sides, roof, and tongue of the baby’s mouth that do not scrape off easily. Once scraped off, the areas under the spots are red and often bleed.
• Your baby starts crying during feeding or when using a pacifier.

Oral thrush can be easily treated by Nystatin, an antifungal medicine that kills Candida Albicans. Other possible treatments include Clotrimazole and Miconazole. If you are breastfeeding your baby, you will also need to be treated for oral thrush. If you do not get treated, it is possible to pass thrush back to your baby again. You can use Nystatin cream on your breasts in order to kill any Candida Albicans present.

Some tips to prevent any recurrence of oral thrush include:

• If you are breastfeeding, allow your nipples to air dry after each feeding. This will prevent the growth of Candida Albicans.
• Clean and sterilize all bottles and pacifiers. Allow them to completely dry before giving them to your baby.
• Discard any nipples or pacifiers that your baby used prior to your learning of the infection. It is difficult to completely rid these items of Candida Albicans.
• Give your baby a bottle of sterilized water after breastfeeding. This will wash away any milk residue and clean your baby’s mouth.
• Make it a habit to check your baby’s mouth every day. If thrush does recur, you will want to seek immediate medical care.

If your newborn baby develops the signs of thrush, do not panic. However, be sure to seek medical attention for your baby and you, especially if you are breastfeeding. Although rarely life-threatening, it is important to treat the condition immediately in order to ensure the comfort and well-being of your baby.