Oral Thrush?

Question

My little boy is 9 weeks old. He has had oral thrush off on on since he was born. I have had a prescription for gel and it clears it up but then it comes back a few days later. I am breast feeding so I suppose he is catching it from me, but the Health Visitor says not as I have no symptoms. Dummies are sterilised & hands washed regularly . Any advice ??

Answer 1

You may want to treat yourself, just in case. I had a similar situation, and I was told to put some myconazol cream (like you get when you have a yeast infection) on my nipples after every feeding while my daughter was on the meds too. You have to wipe it off before you nurse, though. Eat yogurt, drink plenty of fluids, and avoid sugar as much as possible. Sterilize the pacifiers in boiling water for 20 minutes, and buy new ones once the treatment is complete. You need to both be treated at the same time, to avoid passing it back and forth.

Good luck. Thrush can be hard to beat!

Answer 2

You must treat thrush completely and thoroughly. Don't skip a treatment or discontinue treatment once the symptoms are gone. That can keep it coming back.

What do you mean by a health visitor, is that like a doctor? If not I would have the baby checked by a doctor and call your OB office and tell them about the baby getting thrush and they may suggest you be treated anyway without symptoms. You can also call your own family doctor to do this but the OB's may know more!

If your sterilizing everything, binkies and all the toys she may be touching after touching her mouth then you must think it must be coming from you. Treat yourself anyway, it can't hurt!

Answer 3

Well if the thrush keeps coming back, then that means you should get the cream to put on your breasts also. It doesn't matter if you have any symptoms or not. After each feeding, take a warm wash cloth and wipe inside your son's mouth, then do the same with your breasts. Even if he is sleeping still clean his gums and cheeks. That way you are helping to prevent it from coming back. And I would go get the cream for yourself b/c you are probably passing it on to him.

Answer 4

hi my son has recently had oral thrush i was told it was coz he had a course of antibiotics dont know if this is the case for your son. any way the doctor prescribed my with drops rather than gel as she told me that gel isnt that effective and like in your case does come back shortly after. i would advise you go back to the doctors and find out the route of this problem that way you can try and eliminate that factor. he/she will also beable to advise you on this reaccurance more. gud luck

Answer 5

Dun Dun Dun!!! I had to deal with this... And still do get small batches of it myself, though he seems immune. I use Gentian Violet (a fungicide and very powerful purple dye) to swab on my nipples. If it's in your bub's mouth, dilute it to .5% and swab him with a Q tip inside his mouth. Also, change out his dummies and bottle nipples once a week until it's gone. You can get GV at most drugstores, for VERY cheap! Just don't use it too much, as it can irritate the skin. I used it for one day on him, then waited 3 days... Then one day, and it was gone in him. Just a warning, it will stain EVERYTHING. So you might invest in some cloth diapers for him to drool on and make sure he's naked or in clothes you don't mind being Purple until the end of time.

And your health visitor saying you have no symptoms? I wouldn't say that's a 100% gurantee you don't have it. You pass it back and forth, as it's a fungus that thrives in moist, warm, sugar-laden environments (nipples, mouths). You might not feel it now, but there is a chance that eventually you will experience the symptoms. My baby only had the classic oral symptoms once, but I had it for MONTHS.

Try keeping your nursing pads changed out, religiously. Bleach your bras too. As long as you're breastfeeding, this seems to be an issue that recurrs.

I had a 30 day prescripitin for Oral Diflucan to help with a ductal yeast infection. It definitely helped. His pediatrician prescribed him an oral suspension of diflucan, too. That helped get rid of it in him. They call it "systemic treatment".

Ps. Edit to add:

Nystatin is the biggest joke in the whole wide world.

PS PS.:

ANYTHING that comes in contact with your breasts, his mouth, needs to be sterilized in boiling water, or the micro steamer. If it can't be boiled, bleach it in the wash, stick it in the sun, douse it with vinegar (rinsing your nips with vinegar supposedly changes the PH so it makes a hostile environment for yeast to grow)... Clean your bub's sheets, his clothes, his burp rags, his toys, his bibs... His carseat liner, his swing liner, bouncy chair liner... Anything and everything!! Bleach your towels, your bras, bed clothes, I'd advise sleeping on a clean recieving blanket every night if you sleep with or without a top on. It is time consuming, but being extra careful makes a WORLD of difference. Anytime I slack, I start to have a flare-up. Could be that I live in a moist, muggy, warm climate.

Answer 6

He may need more than the gel, go back to your doctor and get an antibiotic, when my daughter was 6 weeks she had this and I was clear. It may be that the gel just isnt clearing it, or other people may not be washing their hands properly.

Answer 7

I had this problem when my daughter was born. My health visitor suggested I take a course of tablets myself (or was it a cream to apply...it's 16 years ago so I don't totally remember). Either way, I was treated myself and my daughter didn't get it again.

Answer 8

Yeast Infection Freedom System - http://YeastCured.uzaev.com/?XeoW

Answer 9

Try using nipple shields for a while also I used a brilliant cream that was thick and clear before each feed but I cannot remember the name if I do will post it to you.lansinoh.

Answer 10

It can also stay in your bras, wash on hot and dry on hot to kill. This can ruin your elastic, so another option is to dry in the hot sun. Also nip pads.