Treatment and prevention of thrush in the oral cavity in children. Candidiasis (thrush) in children: symptoms of the disease, treatment and prevention Remedy for thrush in children in the mouth

Young children, especially infants, are prone to various diseases, because they have a very weak immune system, which has not yet had time to fully form in order to resist harmful microorganisms. This leads to the fact that the baby gets sick very easily. One of the most popular ailments at the present time is thrush.

Therefore, today we will consider in detail the causes of the disease, the main symptoms, and prevention. Also from this article it will be possible to learn how in children with the help of medicines, folk remedies. The causative agent of thrush is an opportunistic yeast fungus belonging to the genus Candida. In an acceptable amount, he is a resident of the microflora of the body of each person.

Beneficial bacteria (bifido- and lactobacilli) do not allow it to actively multiply and grow. When the immune system begins to weaken, the body lacks vitamins and other microelements, opportunistic fungi break out of their protective shells, start vigorous activity, forming numerous colonies. Then the good bacteria are in the minority. Candida damage the mucous membranes, internal organs, skin, nail plates and rollers. It is at this stage that it becomes necessary to treat a child with thrush.

Why does thrush bother children?

As mentioned above, the main cause of the inflammatory process is a very weakened immune system, an unformed microflora. Factors that negatively affect the health of children include:

• regurgitation, allergic dermatitis, vomiting;
• microtrauma of mucous membranes, skin;
• dirty nipples, toys, diapers, dishes, other items that the child comes into contact with;
• intestinal diseases, in particular dysbacteriosis;
• reception antibacterial drugs;
• teething.

An insufficient amount of saliva secreted negatively affects children, as a result of which dryness occurs in the oral cavity. Therefore, thrush most often develops on the oral mucosa. Other factors include:

• lack of breastfeeding;
• early feeding of the child with mixtures (especially sweet ones);
• respiratory infections;
• chronic diseases (they need to be treated in a timely manner).

Also, the fault may lie on the shoulders of the mother if the woman does not have genitals during pregnancy. Often this disease worries women, as hormonal changes occur, an imbalance in the microflora of the vagina is noted.

The main signs of thrush

The very behavior of the child indicates certain problems from the side of general well-being. Crying, whims begin, the baby becomes restless, irritable, refuses to eat, does not want to play. The older generation behaves calmer, but unpleasant symptoms also make it impossible to eat normally, swallow, which causes a depressed state, a deterioration in mood. Of course, such symptoms must be treated so as not to worsen the situation.

Now let's look at how thrush manifests itself in children in the mouth. Usually, itching, burning, a white coating covering the mucous membrane make themselves felt, swelling and swelling of the tongue are noted.

If you notice formations that look like curdled grains, call a doctor faster or take your child to the hospital, because initial stages treatment is quite simple, if you turn to the help of a specialist in time.

Stages of oral thrush

Most mothers cannot independently determine the disease in children. The reason for this is that the crumbs feed on mixtures, milk, therefore, after eating, food remains are found in the mouth. It is not clear to parents whether the child has milk left in the sky and tongue, or it is time to treat thrush. If you examine the oral cavity several times during the day, the onset of the disease will be very easy to notice.

Features of the easy stage

Initially, the baby's mouth, especially the tongue, the inside of the cheeks, is filled with numerous red spots. After some time, they are covered with a mass similar to curdled milk, forming the so-called plaques. After removing the curd mass, a slight redness remains. Doctors usually advise treating thrush at this stage with medications or various local folk remedies.

How is the middle stage going?

The plaques gradually increase, spread to the palate, cause painful swallowing, a categorical unwillingness to eat, deterioration in general well-being. The stronger the disease is launched, the more difficult it is to separate the plaque from the mucous membrane. Such procedures are prohibited without the permission of the doctor.

Characteristics of the severe stage

With the onset of a complex course of the disease, after the removal of white plaque, bleeding wounds may remain. They cause additional discomfort in the mouth in children. The plaques merge with each other, except for the former sites, the defeat of the pharynx is not excluded. If parents look into the child's mouth, they will see the mucous membrane, almost completely covered with a white cheesy coating.

Often there is an increase in body temperature up to 38 degrees. Doctors advise treating young patients with complex therapy, which consists of increasing immunity (general, local), the use of local and systemic antifungal drugs. With the wrong approach to treatment, there is a spread of fungi in the body, damage to internal systems and organs.

Forms of thrush

Symptoms depend entirely on the form in which the disease occurs. If we talk about newborn children, they are most often overtaken by an acute form - it manifests itself rapidly, but it is not difficult to treat it. Chronic thrush is diagnosed many times less often, a similar manifestation occurs in children whose immunity is extremely weakened. This happens with immunodeficiency or as a result of the lack of timely treatment of the acute course of thrush. in this case, the disease can be treated for more than one month.

In the acute form, all the symptoms indicated above in the stages of the disease appear. It is necessary to show the child to the doctor. He will conduct a visual examination, take a swab from the affected areas to confirm the diagnosis. Future treatment depends on the degree of yeast infection, weight, age, and general health.

Characteristics of the chronic form

Usually, the formations become yellow or brown in color, become more rounded. Parents notice that in children in the mouth plaques are tightly attached to the palate, tongue, cheeks. Any touch to the inflamed foci causes severe pain. The disease causes a state of lethargy, whims. Treatment of chronic thrush is a long, difficult process. Therefore, you should not start the situation, show the baby to the doctor in time.

How to treat?

Let's look at the main methods of therapy. One of the important stages of treatment is the elimination of the factor that causes the onset of the disease. If you do not get rid of it in time, the thrush will progress, the therapy will not give positive results. Candida is not able to survive in an alkaline environment, so initially doctors recommend being treated with a soda solution, which is applied to the affected areas. It is ideal for adults and children.

It is necessary to add 1 tsp to a glass of warm boiled water. baking soda. The tool is very easy to prepare and brings a tangible effect. They take gauze or a cotton swab, wrap it around a finger, dip it into a solution, and apply it to the places where yeast fungi are exposed. The duration of therapy, the number of procedures, the doctor selects individually.

Remember, any medicine or remedy can be used only on the advice of a doctor! For this reason, start treating thrush only after consulting a specialist.
Other agents that relieve inflammation and have an antimicrobial effect also have a positive effect. These include the following aqueous solutions:

• gentian violet;
• methylene blue;
• aniline dyes (1-2%).

A solution of potassium permanganate, hydrogen peroxide (0.25-1%) also comes to the rescue. Potassium permanganate should be treated very carefully for thrush: if even the smallest grain of undissolved potassium permanganate gets on the mucous membrane, it can cause a burn. The solution is carefully filtered before use.

Medicines for children

You can treat a fungal infection with drugs that have the following names:

• Candide;
• Nystatin drops;
• Mycomax;
• Miramistin;
• Amphotericin.

The modern pharmacology market offers a lot of drugs that help get rid of annoying thrush. In addition to the above medicines, treating the disease by reducing the amount of yeast fungi makes it possible to:

• Pimafucin in the form of a 2.5% suspension;
• Clotrimazole solution (1%), Lugol;
• Iodinol.

Many products are used for rinsing. You can treat a baby with them if the child can swallow on his own.

Important to remember! Any procedures are carried out very carefully, without strong pressure. Processing is advised to be carried out half an hour after eating.

How to treat thrush on the skin?

If candida has spread to the skin, red spots with a flabby tire will appear. Often they occur in areas such as the armpits, buttocks, the area near the anus, inguinal folds. With candidal dermatitis, fungi may also spread to the face, abdomen, legs, and hands.

Foci (papules, vesicles) gradually increase, unite, forming one large formation with a pronounced white border. Treatment of the skin is usually started with topical drugs: creams, ointments. Also, a fungal infection in children is eliminated through the same solutions of soda, potassium permanganate. If the fungal infection has spread to the skin, doctors may recommend medications such as:

• Miconazole;
• Ketoconazole;
• Pimafucin.

Systemic therapy

In advanced situations, medicines come to the rescue in the form of tablets that are absorbed into the baby's blood. It is possible to treat thrush with their help only under the supervision of a doctor. Among the well-known drugs are Flucostat, Fluconazole, Diflucan.

Folk remedies against thrush

There are many folk assistants, thanks to which it will be possible to treat the disease. These are mainly medicinal herbs, oils, sour fruits, berries. These include:

• chamomile, calendula;
• St. John's wort, sage;
• cranberries, lemon;
• sea ​​buckthorn, coconut oil.

Prevention

Parents are obliged to monitor the condition of the oral mucosa, to ensure the correct drinking regimen. If children on artificial feeding there is frequent regurgitation, it is worth asking the advice of a doctor who will tell you how to improve the feeding technique. Hygiene plays an important role. To prevent candida from multiplying in the mouth, it is necessary to disinfect toys, diapers, nipples, dishes.

It is necessary to bathe, wash the child, dress in clean ironed clothes. It is not recommended to wrap babies in diapers that are too warm, since the humid environment is ideal for Candida to live. Breastfeeding mothers should:

• treat the mammary glands with antiseptics (for example, chamomile decoction, soda solution);
• take a shower daily;
• eat right (limit foods that promote the reproduction of fungi);
• if any type of candidiasis occurs, immediately contact a gynecologist.

Children need to be treated on time! Do not delay this process so as not to harm the little crumbs. Ask all questions to our specialist.

Remember, all material is provided for the purpose of familiarization with one of the many diseases that overtakes children.

Thrush in children (candidiasis) can appear in the first days of life, even in newborns. White cheesy plaque in the mouth of a newborn (on the tongue, gums) worries the baby and scares young parents.

It is not surprising that many parents look on the Internet and in medical reference books for descriptions of similar symptoms of the disease, look at photos with similar external signs, trying to understand what kind of disease it is and how to treat it, how it is transmitted and why it is dangerous.

Thrush (candidiasis) is caused by a yeast-like fungus of the genus Candida. The spores of this fungus live everywhere: on the skin of the face, hands, feet of a person, on the mucous membrane of the mouth and rectum. The pathogen, being in the body and on the body of the mother, can easily infect the newborn. If the immune system is working normally, the microflora is balanced, then the disease does not occur.

Thrush is transmitted through a kiss, a poorly washed nipple or breast. A newborn is easily infected.

Useful microflora inhibits the growth of fungi, a balance is maintained. But in a newborn child, the beneficial flora is just being formed, it is not yet in sufficient quantity, therefore, under certain favorable conditions, fungi begin to multiply uncontrollably, and cause a disease called candidiasis.

Breast milk contains immune antibodies against many pathogens, which helps the child not get sick. Maternal immunity protects baby. But sometimes various causes have an adverse effect on the body, after which the conditionally pathogenic flora, which includes fungi of the genus Candida, becomes pathogenic.

Causes contributing to the development of thrush:

• too dry and warm air in the room, causing drying of the oral mucosa (under such conditions, any infection is easily transmitted to the child);
• taking antibiotics, as a result of which the balance of beneficial and conditionally pathogenic microflora is disturbed;
• unbalanced nutrition of the mother, the presence in the diet of muffins, a large number of sweets (especially critical in combination with antibiotics);
• violation of the rules of personal hygiene before and after breastfeeding, as well as the abuse of antibacterial soap or other antiseptics;
• prematurity, immunodeficiency states;
• other reasons.

Symptoms

Symptoms of thrush in children are different, depending on the location of the disease. Candidiasis can appear in the mouth, throat, tongue, genitals, skin. What thrush looks like in children can be seen in the photo.

In the mouth

Thrush in children of the first months of life and in newborns is most often localized in the mouth. The primary signs of thrush in a child are a white cheesy coating on the tongue, gums, buccal mucosa (see photo). Plaque can be in the form of thin white stripes, plaques, plugs on the tonsils in the throat.

The mucosa under this plaque is red, inflamed (see photo). Candidiasis in newborns and older children can be localized on the lips, in the corners of the mouth (cheilitis). Secondary signs are restless sleep, refusal of food, crying. Throat candidiasis most often affects children of one year of age and older. Usually, children weakened by diseases or beriberi.

Body temperature can be within normal limits, and can be increased to 38 degrees. The child feels weakness, malaise, has a sore throat. But sometimes thrush manifests itself and is asymptomatic, or with very mild symptoms.

Vaginal

The fungus can affect the walls of the vagina in girls (vaginal thrush), in boys the skin of the glans penis can be affected (candidiasis balanitis). The main signs of vaginal thrush are itching, cheesy discharge, inflammation of the genitals.

Children who already know how to speak usually complain to their mothers that it itches in pussy, and in newborns, thrush causes anxiety and crying.

The main signs of a fungal infection of the genitals in a boy are inflammation and swelling of the genital mucosa, hyperemia. Body temperature may be elevated, but more often there is a normal temperature.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis is made on the basis of symptoms and after confirmation of assumptions by laboratory tests. A smear is taken from the affected mucosa, which is transferred to the laboratory and examined bacterioscopically or bacteriological method. The presence of fungi of the genus Candida is confirmed.

It is important to distinguish plaque on the child's tongue from thrush. Plaque is easily removed with a sterile swab or spatula. Thrush rashes are much more difficult to remove.

Treatment

Treatment of thrush depends on the degree of the disease, location and age of the child. Treatment should eliminate the causes of the disease. Then it is effective. It is difficult to treat an infant because many drugs have age restrictions.

Preparations

Sodium tetraborate

(borax) has a strong antiseptic action, an agent that inhibits the development of fungi. Applied with an uncomplicated form of the disease. Sodium tetraborate is a solution in glycerin. Tampons moistened with a solution of sodium tetraborate are applied to the sites of fungal infection.

Sodium tetraborate is enough effective treatment genital thrush. Sodium tetraborate is also used to treat thrush in the mouth, tongue, and lips. Sodium tetraborate has been used for many years to local treatment thrush.

Nystatin

Refers to antifungal drugs. Release form - tablets, suppositories. Nystatin (tablets) - effective remedy against fungi of the genus Candida. Nystatin (tablets) is taken as prescribed by a doctor.

Nystatin can treat thrush of any localization. Nystatin (tablets) is used as a prophylactic during long courses of antibiotics, for the treatment of raids on the tonsils. Candles are used to treat vaginal candidiasis with nystatin.

Fluconazole

- an antifungal agent, a synonym for diflucan. Eliminates the causes of the disease. Apply inside and intravenously. Not applicable to the treatment of children under 16 years of age. Compared to nystatin, fluconazole and diflucan have more pronounced antifungal activity.

Miramistin

Miramistin is a cationic antiseptic. Miramistin has antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial activity. Miramistin stimulates local immunity, has anti-inflammatory properties.

Nystatin, fluconazole, diflucan have a number of contraindications, especially in children. Compared with nystatin, miramistin is more effective in local treatment.

Miramistin has almost no contraindications, the possibility of adverse reactions is minimal. It treats thrush of the genitals well. Miramistin is produced and applied in the form of a solution and ointment. Tablets are not released. Miramistin can treat candidiasis of any localization.

Holisal

- a combined drug with anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, analgesic effect. Treatment of candidiasis in the mouth, on the tongue is not complete without this remedy. Cholisal greatly alleviates the condition of the child, relieves pain, burning.

Cholisal is applied to the affected areas in the mouth. First, ulcers on the tongue, on the lips are cleaned, and then drugs are applied, including cholisal.

It is impossible to list all the drugs, tablets, ointments for thrush. In pharmacies, talkers are sold that are similar in effect to the drug "cholisal", tablets, ointments. Treatment of thrush in a small child is difficult because many medications contraindicated in children. Therefore, folk remedies occupy a special place in the treatment of thrush in children.

Folk remedies

Treatment with folk remedies is sometimes more effective and safer for children than ready-made ointments and tablets. Fluconazole, sodium tetraborate, diflucan, cholisal - treatment of young children with these drugs is not always possible.

Soda

A good result is obtained by treatment with ordinary baking soda. It's simple folk remedy, which is recognized by official medicine and is used to treat newborns. A solution of soda 2% (a teaspoon of soda in a glass of warm boiled water) is used to lubricate the affected areas of the mucosa, lubricate plaque on the tonsils.

Soda solution is effective in treatment and prevention. Uncomplicated thrush in a newborn with this treatment passes quickly. For school-age children, rinsing with soda (2% soda solution) is suitable.

decoctions of herbs

A decoction of herbs from chamomile, oak bark, succession remarkably treats thrush. The swab is moistened in herbal decoction, after which the sore spots are lubricated. Treatment of the surface of the mucosa is carried out 5-6 times a day.

Decoctions of herbs are actively used in the treatment of newborns. However, it must be borne in mind that a herbal decoction can cause allergies in a newborn child.

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Honey

Honey is amazing antiseptic. Honey lubricates the inflamed gums, tongue, mucous membranes in the mouth affected by the fungus. Lubricate raids on the tonsils. Contraindication is allergic reaction for honey treatment. Good results are obtained by treatment with honey after washing with herbal decoction.

Complications

The main complication is the transition of candidiasis to other parts of the body and organs, as well as the transition of thrush acute form into chronic. Thrush from the oral cavity can spread deep into, affect the throat, internal organs.

Prevention

For the prevention of thrush (in a month-old baby and older), it is necessary to ensure long-term breastfeeding. Since thrush is transmitted through objects, air, saliva, parents must follow hygiene rules very carefully:

• do not kiss the child on the face;
• thoroughly wash toys, objects that are next to the child;
• rinse nipples and bottles with baking soda and boiling water;
• nursing mother observe the rules of personal hygiene, treat nipples with 2% soda solution or borax;
• wash hands thoroughly before picking up a child;
• mothers avoid taking antibiotics while breastfeeding.

With such an unpleasant phenomenon as thrush in the mouth of a child, every parent has encountered at least once in his life. Most often, white dots and plaque on the tongue appear for no apparent reason. The kid begins to worry, it is unpleasant for him to eat, swallow. Where does thrush come from and how to treat it, says Evgeny Komarovsky, a well-known pediatrician and author of books and articles on children's health for adults.

About illness

The diagnosis of "thrush" as such in medicine does not exist. There is a certain type of stomatitis, which is caused by yeast-like fungi of the genus Candida. At least a dozen candida are known that can cause inflammation of the oral mucosa. They live everywhere - in the environment, in the mouth, in the intestines, in the vagina in girls.

Candida are permanent inhabitants of the human body, but they go into a "conflict" only when something changes in their living conditions - humidity, body temperature. Thus, while the child is healthy, fungi behave quite peacefully, but as soon as he gets sick, the immune system begins to weaken, candida become more active, become aggressive. Thus begins the disease, popularly referred to as thrush. The name is very accurate, since the white sores are visually very reminiscent of curdled milk particles.

In the mouth, thrush develops when saliva loses its bactericidal properties.

It's no secret, says Komarovsky, that saliva is quite active against a wide variety of microorganisms, and if its biochemical parameters are normal, it can easily cope with candida. But if saliva becomes thicker, or it is not produced enough, then stomatitis will not have to wait long.

In newborns, thrush in the mouth is often a consequence of passage through the mother's birth canal. There colonies of candida different types- a completely normal phenomenon, but in a child, saliva immediately after birth does not yet have strong bactericidal properties, and the immune defense is still imperfect, local immunity is not sufficiently developed. As a result, the baby's mouth is covered with white spots, it hurts to suck, he is worried.

Usually stomatitis caused by candida is not particularly dangerous.

But in some cases, with a strong and extensive lesion, inflammation can spread to the larynx, and this is fraught with tonsillitis.

Causes

Saliva, according to Yevgeny Komarovsky, begins to lose its bactericidal protective properties when it dries up. This can happen for a number of reasons:

• The baby is in a room where it is too hot and dry.
• Mom and dad rarely take the baby out for a walk.
• The baby screams often and for a long time, while he takes breaths mainly through his mouth, which is why saliva dries up.
• The child has a runny nose, nasal breathing is difficult, he has to breathe

Candida is very contagious, and therefore the causes of stomatitis may be different.

A one-month-old baby can “catch” an infection from a pacifier or dish held by a person suffering from thrush. Even a mother can become this person. It can also be caused by being in close proximity with a young cat or puppy (parents like to photograph babies this way). Even frequent regurgitation can lead to stomatitis if the parents do not remove milk masses from the mouth.

Babies under one year often get thrush oral cavity when they understand how to put one or another object into their mouth, and actively practice it. And babies older than a year can get sick when eating unwashed vegetables and fruits, improperly cooked meat.

Treatment and prevention according to Komarovsky

Such thrush requires special attention, in which ulcerative lesions are observed not only on the tongue of the child, but also on the inner surface of the cheeks. The first case cannot be considered a disease at all, says Yevgeny Komarovsky, since for a child who is on breastfeeding or eating adapted milk formulas, this is a variant of the norm, and nothing needs to be done with this plaque.

If white sores are found on the cheeks, we can talk about stomatitis as such, and proceed to therapeutic actions.

First of all, Evgeny Komarovsky proposes to return the necessary protective properties to saliva so that it can cope with the raging fungus of the Candida genus on its own. To do this, you should buy a room thermometer, hang it in the children's room and make sure that always, at any time of the year and day, the air temperature does not exceed 18-20 degrees Celsius.

The second necessary purchase is a humidifier with a hygrometer. Use a humidifier to increase the relative humidity in the child's room. A hygrometer will allow you to monitor its level. Humidity, at which saliva does not dry out and does not lose its bactericidal properties - 50-70%.

The child should walk a lot in the fresh air.

In the meantime, he is outside, the room must be ventilated and wet cleaned at least once a day. At the same time, it is not necessary to add detergents containing chlorine to the water. Dust must be cleaned in the nursery every day, and all “dust collectors”, which are large soft toys, books, should be removed altogether from the room where a small child sleeps and spends a lot of time.

The child must be given enough water, because the lack of fluid in the body also causes the saliva to dry out. If the baby drank milk, you should give him a few sips of water so that there is no milk left in the oral cavity and a favorable environment is not created for the reproduction of yeast-like fungi.

The white sores themselves on the gums and cheeks of the baby must be treated with a two percent soda solution. It is easy to prepare it at home: 2 grams of baking soda are taken for 98 ml of boiled water.

Today there are electronic kitchen scales in almost every home, and it will not be difficult to calculate the required amount of a substance. If there are no scales, then soda is taken at the tip of a knife, in water - a little less than half a glass.

Mom moistens her own finger with soda solution, previously wrapped in clean gauze or a bandage, and gently treats sores in her mouth with this finger. An older child who already understands how to gargle and spit out the liquid can simply be given this mouthwash solution.

With a strong candidal lesion, you can lubricate the sores with Holisal gel - it will additionally have an analgesic effect.

What can not be done?

It is impossible to cauterize white dots in the mouth with iodine or brilliant green, as well as alcohol and alcohol solutions.

You can not give a child with thrush in the mouth antibiotics, and also smear antibiotics directly on the sores in the mouth.

It is impossible to remove plaque from the cheeks and tongue mechanically, manually.

You can't take your child to Kindergarten with signs of stomatitis, because in one day in the group he will infect up to 70-80% of his peers with candida.

During treatment, it is not necessary to give the child sweet food, candida loves sweets. A nursing mother should exclude sweets from her own diet.

You will learn more about fungal infections in the mouth in children in the following video.

Thrush in the mouth of a child or candidal stomatitis is a fairly common disease that is caused by yeast fungi of the genus Candida. Most often, children under the age of 1 year are sick, but the disease can also affect older children, in whom it indicates a decrease in immunity.

It is easiest to treat just oral candidiasis in infants. In older children, treatment requires an integrated approach. The main rule is to follow all the recommendations of the pediatrician and not to self-medicate.

Thrush in children in the mouth most often appears when infected with Candida fungi from an infected mother. The child becomes infected at the first bodily contact. However, intrauterine infection of the child is possible, as well as infection in childbirth - during the passage of the birth canal.

The causative agents of thrush are representatives of yeast fungi of the genus Candida: C.albicans, C.krusei, C.tropicalis, C.pseudotropicalis, C.guilliermondi. these fungi, being conditionally pathogenic microorganisms, inhabit the human body for a long time, forming part of the normal microflora in the oral cavity, intestines, and vagina.

While defense mechanisms immune system work properly, fungi of this kind do not make themselves felt. But as soon as immunity decreases or the pH of the mucous membranes changes, conditions favorable for their growth are created, yeast fungi actively multiply, and become aggressive towards the host organism and cause thrush.

The same scenario of the development of the disease and in case of infection with fungi from the outside. As already noted, often babies pick up the infection from their mothers. But it can also be food, toys, household items, since candida is widespread in the environment. Do not forget that children tend to put everything in their mouths, and this in itself is a big risk of infectious diseases.

Candida is not whimsical, and develops well in an acidic environment at a temperature of 30 to 38 degrees. Therefore, an increase in body temperature and an imbalance of microflora (dysbiosis) contribute to their reproduction. If the immune defense works, then the disease will not develop, after some time the fungi will simply stop their excessive growth. They can also form spores and lie low, waiting indefinitely for the appearance of favorable conditions.

But if the immune system is weakened, candida can penetrate deep into the mucous membranes, then into the underlying tissues, and finally into the bloodstream. Thus, infection of absolutely any organ is possible and the disease becomes systemic.

How does baby thrush occur?

Almost every fifth child under the age of one year suffers from thrush, some manage to get sick with this disease several times. But in this case, there is no reason to panic, since in infants the protective mechanisms of the mucous membranes are not fully developed, the microflora often changes in the oral cavity, and the epithelium of the mucous membranes has not yet completed its organization.

Children's thrush in the mouth has the highest chance of developing in case of prematurity of the child, and also if the child was born from a mother with a "social" disease (tuberculosis or HIV / AIDS). It is necessary to pay attention and urgently examine the child if symptoms of candidiasis appear at the age of the baby older than 1 year.

The reasons for the development of thrush in children of different ages are somewhat different.

Thrush in newborns (the period from the moment of birth to the 28th day of life inclusive)

• intrauterine infection - the penetration of the fungus through the placental barrier;
• infection during childbirth - when the baby swallows infected amniotic fluid (in the case of vulvovaginal candosis of the mother);
• infection during breastfeeding - with candidiasis of the nipple;
• infection in the case of caring for the baby of a person with a fungal infection of the hands;
• infection through household items, bed;
• if necessary, treatment with antibacterial drugs for a newborn or mother during lactation;
• in case of radiation or chemotherapy;
• with improper feeding technique, when food remains are not completely removed from the mouth.

Children under 1 year old

The causes of the disease are the same as in newborns, but in this case a few more are added:

• poor-quality disinfection of children's dishes, bottles and, especially, nipples;
• ignoring adults to wash their hands after contact with raw meat, milk, sour-milk products, unwashed vegetables, fruits, herbs;
• the possibility of becoming infected through contact with young pets.

  Children under 3 years old

To the previously identified causes of the disease, in children under the age of 3 years, their own may be added:

• licking unwashed vegetables, fruits, and toys;
• treatment with antibiotics or steroid hormones;
• improper growth of teeth with constant traumatization of the mucous membranes in the oral cavity;
• lack of vitamins C, PP, group B in the diet;
• intestinal infections and diseases;
• attempts to brush your teeth with someone else's, "adult" brush.

Candidiasis during this period of a child's life may be the first unpleasant sign. diabetes or leukemia.

Children aged 3 years and older

Added to the above reasons are:

• malnutrition;
• the use of unwashed foods, raw milk;
• neglect of the rules of personal hygiene;
• games with pets;
• smoking, alcohol or drug use in adolescence;
• oral contraceptive preparations.

Thrush in children in the mouth in this case indicates immune-deficient conditions, endocrine diseases or oncopathology.

Manifestations of candidal stomatitis

Identify thrush in a child's mouth early stages its development is difficult, especially if the child is nursing. The mother should be alerted by the child's anxiety, mood swings and the constant release of the nipple from the mouth. If you do not start treating thrush in the mouth of a child at this stage of the disease, the fungus will affect not only the oral cavity, spreading to the pharynx and even the esophagus. Older children in this case may complain of a constant feeling of a “lump in the throat”, and infants will develop symptoms such as frequent regurgitation, stopping weight gain, sleep disturbance, and fever.

The pronounced symptoms of thrush are not so difficult to recognize:

• the mucous membranes of the mouth are reddened, swollen and shiny;
• the plaque has a characteristic appearance - as if the child had just drunk kefir or resembles the remains of curd mass, it is easily removed with a spatula or spoon;
• in later stages, the plaque may acquire a yellow or gray tint;
• if the mucous membranes are scraped quite strongly, small droplets of blood appear, similar to dew;
• the leading symptoms that are characteristic of candidiasis in the mouth are soreness and burning, aggravated by eating.

If a child begins to have a temperature for no apparent reason (snot, cough), you should immediately consult a doctor to prevent dehydration, which is especially dangerous in infancy.

Sometimes, in children who are accustomed to a pacifier, thrush looks like a candidal jam - a crack in the corners of the mouth. In this case, thrush in children should be differentiated from beriberi. It differs from a seizure with a lack of vitamins A and B12 in that it is covered with a white coating, around which there is a redness zone. General symptoms with candidal seizures, they are not expressed, but it is quite painful to open the baby's mouth.

Subtleties of diagnostics

If you suspect the development of candidal stomatitis in a child, the following diagnostic measures are necessary:

• a detailed blood test - to determine the degree of inflammation, as well as to exclude possible leukemia;
• mandatory determination of glucose in the blood - since thrush is one of the manifestations of diabetes;
• bakposev scrapings from the mucous membranes of the mouth (required on an empty stomach) - to accurately confirm the diagnosis of "candidiasis";
• to determine the activity of immunity during the disease and 1-1.5 months after recovery, it is recommended to conduct an immunogram.

If a deeper spread of candida with infection of the pharynx or esophagus is suspected, a diagnostic indirect laryngoscopy may be required by an otolaryngologist.

In the presence of plaque on the tonsils and the back wall of the pharynx, a differential diagnosis with tonsillitis, scarlet fever, diphtheria is mandatory.

Relieve symptoms

Treatment of thrush in children in the mouth is mainly local, aimed at getting rid of unpleasant symptoms. In infants, the treatment of oral mucosa is practically the only method of therapy; for older children, the use of antifungal drugs is allowed, but only on the recommendation of a doctor.

Babies gently treat the mouth with a 1% solution of baking soda, removing plaque at least once a day. It is also allowed to treat the oral cavity with infusion of chamomile.

Children older than 6 months can treat the mouth with weak solutions of antifungal drugs, which are prescribed only by a pediatrician. And with a moderate or severe form of the disease, antimycotic drugs are prescribed for systemic treatment.

In no case should you self-medicate with a child's thrush! You can read about how to treat thrush on many resources, but the children's body requires increased attention and a certain calculation of doses of drugs, so you do not need to rely on chance, since this disease is quite serious and insidious.

If candidiasis stomatitis in a child occurs against the background of the use of antibacterial drugs or other medicines, it is also impossible to cancel their reception on your own. Be sure to consult with your doctor.

except drug treatment all should be accepted necessary measures to stop the introduction of infection into the oral cavity of the child.

What a thrush looks like in a child's mouth, many parents do not know. Therefore, when a whitish coating appears on the oral mucosa, they are taken for self-medication. The best option in this case would be a visit to the doctor and testing.

Causes of thrush in the mouth

With candidiasis of the oral cavity, the child feels a burning sensation and itching. When in contact with hard objects, the mucous membrane begins to bleed.

A reliable sign of thrush is the result of a laboratory test showing the presence of a fungal infection.

Treatment with drugs

The well-known pediatrician Evgeny Olegovich Komarovsky recommends starting the treatment of thrush in children with the organization of proper care. It is important that the room has cool and clean air. Children after 2-3 months need to organize a plentiful drink. If the mother has thrush, then she also needs to be treated. If you need to use medicines, you should consult a doctor. Pediatricians recommend treating thrush in a child's mouth, and sometimes prescribe pharmaceutical preparations for oral use.

1. After each feeding, it is necessary to wipe the oral mucosa of the child with a sterile swab dipped in a soda solution.
2. It is permissible to treat with a strong decoction of chamomile if the baby does not have an allergic reaction.
3. Nystatin is prescribed for children with thrush, but only for local use. The tablet must be crushed and diluted in a small amount of water. With this solution, wipe the mouth of the crumbs up to 6 times a day, but only after feeding.
4. Candide instruction for children with thrush recommends using it three times a day. Treatment continues for at least 2 weeks.
5. Fluconazole for children with thrush is prescribed only after 6 months. The instruction describes dosages for children from 4 years old. Therefore, it is important that the doctor writes an individual application regimen.
6. A solution of sodium tetraborate for children with thrush is prescribed in a diluted form. The mucous membranes are treated with the drug no more than 3 times a day.

If parents do not know how to treat thrush in a child, Miramistin should be preferred. The medicine is safe for children and has a wide spectrum of action. If a child has thrush in the throat, then an oily solution of Chlorophyllipt should be used.

Prevention

In the ICD, thrush in children has the designation B37.0 and is called candidal stomatitis. To prevent the disease, experts recommend following the rules:

It is important for a woman preparing for childbirth to be examined for the presence of genital thrush. With natural delivery, there is high risk neonatal infection.