The Candida fungus is a type of disease-causing fungal infection. This type of fungus, known as oral candidiasis (thrush), develops in the mouth and causes white patches to appear on the inner cheeks, tongue, and the roof of the mouth (palate).
Types of fungal infections seen in infants
Although we usually think that a fungal infection only appears in the mouth, its effects can also manifest in other parts of the body. For example,
- Nails;
- Eyes;
- In the lower body (vaginal or groin area);
- Skin folds (armpit or neck folds).
Helpful: How to soothe a baby crying during sleep?
Symptoms of candidiasis (thrush) in babies
A classic sign of a fungal infection in infants is the appearance of white, velvety patches on the tongue and the inner mucous membrane of the cheeks. They appear as sores and may bleed when wiped.
Other symptoms include:
- Redness of the oral mucosa;
- Crying or restlessness;
- Refusing to breastfeed due to pain.
If the infection spreads to the child's esophagus, swallowing may become painful for the child. You may notice your child refusing to feed from a bottle or breastfeed.
A white tongue alone does not mean your child has a Candida infection. Many babies' tongues turn white after drinking milk.
When white spots appear, they cover a significant area of the oral cavity and cannot be easily wiped away. If you try to wipe these spots away, the sores may bleed.
Causes of thrush
We see the symptoms of the "Candida albicans" fungus manifest only when it begins to grow in the child's oral cavity. The fungus primarily develops in warm, moist places, for example, in the oral cavity of a baby.
A small amount of Candida often lives in the mouth. It is controlled by the immune system and other microbes living in the mouth. However, when the immune system is weakened, the fungus can grow, leading to sores and lesions in the mouth and on the tongue.
Thrush can occur in infants because their immune systems are not yet mature. They are not fully capable of resisting infection.
Oral candidiasis can also occur after treatment with antibiotics, as antibiotics reduce the level of healthy bacteria in the mouth. This allows the fungus to multiply.
Useful article: Fever and normal body temperature in infants
Diagnostics
Thrush in newborns is diagnosed quickly and easily. Many pediatricians can detect the fungus by examining the baby's oral cavity. Velvety, white spots that are difficult to scrape off are classic signs of a fungal infection. Occasionally, the doctor may take a sample of the white coating for laboratory testing.
Treatment of thrush
Fungal infections do not always require treatment and sometimes resolve on their own after a few days. You should consult your pediatrician to ensure that the sores in your child's mouth are caused by a fungus and not the result of another dangerous infection.
Your pediatrician may prescribe antifungal medication to treat the child's infection. These medications can be applied to the sores in the child's mouth according to the doctor's recommendations and instructions.
If a mother has a fungal infection on her nipple, the doctor will recommend an over-the-counter antifungal cream to be applied directly to the breast.
Taking probiotics helps prevent fungal and other types of infections. Probiotics play a role in supporting the beneficial bacteria on our skin and in our bodies, which keeps fungal growth under control.
Prognosis
Oral candidiasis, or thrush, is a common type of infection in children and is usually easy to diagnose and treat. If both you and your child are experiencing a fungal infection, never forget that these infections must be treated immediately. If you manage to treat only one of you (yourself or your child), you may continue to re-infect each other every time you feed your baby.
