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Dr Anna Maw, Paediatrician
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Consultant pediatrician at Cambridge University NHS Trust in the UK. A child doctor specializing in brain development and neurology. She has three children.
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Baby health

Thrush in babies

Thrush is a common infection in babies that affects the mouth and digestive system. It is very simple to treat with oral anti-fungal drops and can occur if your baby has had a course of antibiotics.
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In Short
Symptoms include a sore mouth and sore bottom.

Signs include white curd-like deposits in the mouth and a sore nappy or diaper rash.

Treatment is usually with oral anti-fungal drops.

If you are breastfeeding or nursing your baby, you may catch thrush on your nipple and you both need to be treated to prevent you passing the infection between you both. Even if you aren’t showing any symptoms yourself, if one of you has thrush, you both need treatment.

Thrush is a common problem in young babies and it’s caused by the fungus Candida albicans which sometimes accumulates in the lining of the mouth.

It can sometimes be mistaken for milk deposits on the baby’s tongue because there tends to be a white coating on the tongue. In general, you can scrape milk off quite easily but thrush tends to stick harder and also you can see spots on the inside of the baby’s cheeks and more redness around the mouth.

15-breastfeeding-thrush

Some nappy or diaper rash is due to thrush infections so look for signs of a sore red bottom. See our lessons for advice on treating diaper or nappy rashes and how to spot nappy rash.

Thrush is easily treatable with mouth drops such as Nystatin but if you’re breastfeeding it would be important that you are treated as well otherwise the infection can be passed from mother to baby and back again.

Thrush can occur after a course of antibiotics when the harmless flora and bacteria that would have kept the thrush at bay have been killed. Talk to your doctor about probiotics for you and your baby if you have to take a course of antibiotics for e.g., mastitis

If your nipple is sore and breastfeeding is painful, visit your local breastfeeding drop-in for support or talk to your health visitor as other things can sometimes be mistaken for thrush. The most common cause of sore nipples is problems with latching your baby onto the breast.

DISCLAIMER
This article is for information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions. Essential Parent has used all reasonable care in compiling the information from leading experts and institutions but makes no warranty as to its accuracy. Consult a doctor or other health care professional for diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions. For details click here.