How to treat thrush in babies

Diluted baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) may also combat the symptoms of thrush. Dissolve one-half teaspoon of baking soda in one cup of warm water, and apply to your child’s thrush with a cotton swab. You can also apply the paste on the mother’s nipples before breastfeeding.

Thrush often goes away on its own in a few days. Your provider may prescribe antifungal medicine to treat thrush. You paint this medicine on your baby’s mouth and tongue. If you have a yeast infection on your nipples, your provider may recommend an over-the-counter or prescription antifungal cream.

When the fungus grows out of control in your baby’s mouth, it can develop into oral thrush, which can cause sore patches in or around your little one’s mouth. These may be uncomfortable or painful, especially when feeding.

Thrush usually starts to clear up in 4 to 5 days with treatment but use all the medicine (for at least 7 days). Call your child’s doctor if thrush gets worse after 3 days of treatment or if it lasts more than 10 days.

Severe, untreated thrush can spread to the: Esophagus. Urinary tract. Whole body—systemic infection causes multiple organ failure and death.

Thrush often occurs when mother or baby has taken antibiotics. Antibiotics treat infections from bacteria. They can also eliminate “good” bacteria, and this allows yeast to grow. The yeast thrives in warm, moist areas.

When to Go to the Emergency Room (ER)

In most cases, thrush isn’t a medical emergency. Call your pediatrician if your baby develops symptoms of thrush. Teens and adults should see their healthcare provider. If symptoms are severe, seek emergency care if you can’t reach your doctor.

Fussiness. While some babies are largely unaffected by thrush, others may experience pain while eating and become more fussy than usual, Posner says. A diaper rash. Babies can sometimes swallow the fungus and excrete it through bowel movements, which can lead to a yeast diaper rash, Ganjian says.

To be clear, thrush happens in babies who are bottle-fed and breastfed. If you breastfeed, though, know that it’s possible for you and your baby to spread yeast to each other. This might be a lesser known problem, but it does happen and it’s called nipple thrush.

Medical treatment

For oral thrush, your doctor may prescribe antifungal medication (drops or a gel) containing nystatin, which must be spread on the tongue and inside the mouth a few times a day for 10 days. The easiest way to do this is to use a sponge applicator to paint on the solution.

Lanolin ointment can be applied to the nipples before breastfeeding as a barrier to yeast. An over-the-counter pain medication, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, can be taken to help relieve pain in new moms.

A baby with oral thrush might have cracked skin in the corners of the mouth or white patches on the lips, tongue, or inside the cheeks that look a little like cottage cheese but can’t be wiped away.

Symptoms of oral thrush in breastfed babies

Signs to look for include: creamy white spots or patches on the tongue, gums, roof of the mouth or insides of the cheeks – if you gently wipe these patches with a clean cloth, they won’t come off. your baby being unsettled when feeding. a white film on the lips.