Though this doesn’t happen often, the mother might notice a whitish substance on the cheek of the infant. The first instinct is that this is some remnants of milk after feeding and this can easily be wiped off.
When this doesn’t go away and there and more have are found on the tongue and on the lips, then the baby may have a problem. This may be a thrush which is more of an allergy than a disease.
A thrush happens when there is a large amount of yeast that develops in the mouth of the baby. Humans have this in the genital area, the mouth and in the intestines which doctors call as Candida. This usually grows in warm environments are only noticeable when these white patches become visible.
What causes this to happen? Doctors have not yet been able to figure that out. Research has only proven that this is not passed from one baby to another and that some antibiotics that are used to treat the infant for bacteria may cause this overgrowth to happen.
Will this harm the baby in any way? The answer is no. The worse that can happen is that it will irritate the infant during feeding and if left untreated, could hurt more.
How can this be treated? Thrush can be stopped using some medication such as Nystatin that should be applied on the mouth of the infant four times a day.
Can this recur? The answer is yes. This is because the yeast may be passed on the nipple of the mother and on toys and pacifiers that the baby uses. This can be avoided also by applying medicine on the nipple of the mother and sterilizing the things that are placed into the infant’s mouth.
If this doesn’t work, this is the only time that stronger medication prescribed by the doctor can be used on the baby. This doesn’t happen often and should only be used for a short period of time.
Anything that the mother uses with the baby should also be washed or sterilized. This should be done using sunlight or anything that uses heat in the cleaning process. People who think freezing this will kill the germs are wrong because this will only return. Though some of these steps may take some time to do, it is worth it since this will prevent the yeast from coming back.
Can the mother also experience this problem? Yes. The symptoms are soreness, itching or a blistery sensation on the breast. This can also happen after undergoing antibiotic treatment. This can be remedied by applying a lotion on the nipple and having yogurt as part of one’s diet.
The can also be prevented by washing the bras using hot water, exposing the breasts to direct sunlight a few minutes a day and changing the nursing pads after each feeding session.
Thrush can happen more than once to the baby and to the mother. Proper hygiene and checkups with the doctor can prevent this allergy from ever happening to both individuals.
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