Treating oral thrush in babies

STUMBLING upon something that seems out of the ordinary, like a white-coated tongue when your little one had a perfectly pink tongue at birth, will set off alarm bells for most parents.

When this happens to your baby, paediatrician Dr Anona Griffith said it could be one of a few things — a milk tongue or oral thrush, otherwise known as oral candidiasis, being among the most common culprits.

“Milk tongue really is just milk residue that has accumulated on the tongue, noted after feeding over time, and may be noticed more if the baby tends to puke, whereas oral thrush is a yeast infection caused by the fungus candida,” Dr Griffith explained.

She pointed out that candida is found normally in the genital tract or along the birth canal and may become a source of infection if it proliferates, as occurs during pregnancy. During the birthing process, the baby can pick up this same yeast on the skin and in the mouth. This is the same yeast that is usually responsible for diaper rash.

“If oral thrush is the cause of your baby’s white tongue, its appearance will resemble a white, lacy, patchy substance and in some instances areas of redness and irritation. It appears in areas of the mouth involved in sucking such as the tongue, the baby’s inner cheeks, lips and roof of the mouth,” Dr Griffith underscored.

A milk tongue, on the other hand, Dr Griffith explains, does not involve the gums and surfaces of the inner mouth.

However, since the two have a similar appearance which makes it difficult for some people to differentiate, this may cause some parents to panic. Not to worry though, Dr Griffith said a simple test such as using a clean cloth damped with warm water to wipe the area may help you figure out which of the two you are dealing with.

“If when you wipe the surface of the tongue and the coating comes off or at least becomes less noticeable, then you are most likely dealing with a milk build-up. If you cannot remove the white coating, or if there is bleeding following wiping, then it’s likely to be thrush,” Dr Griffith explained.

She said that if your baby has thrush, it is best that you take your child to see a paediatrician. He/she will likely prescribe an anti-fungal medication in the form of a liquid or gel that should be applied to the baby’s mouth multiple times during the day, and will get to the affected areas.

“For breastfeeding moms, oral thrush can spread from the mouth to your nipples and breasts causing them to become tender, sore and infected. Therefore if the baby is treated and the mother still has the infection, there is a possibility of reinfection. As such, mothers should seek medical treatment if they notice this, to reduce the chances of this happening,” Dr Griffith said.

On the bright side, thrush is preventable.

Check out how you can reduce the likelihood of your child developing it below:

• Sterilise everything that will come in contact with your baby’s mouth. One of the most common culprits of thrush in kids is a pacifier and/or nipple that was not properly sanitised. Another possible source is the breast pump, so sterilise in-between uses and keep it clean and dry.

• Make sure your breast and nipples are clean. You want to change your breast pads often, and if you are using reusable breast pads, wash them often in warm water along with your nursing bras, allowing them to dry well prior to reuse.

• Mothers should take regular baths and practise optimal breast hygiene.

• If you want to reduce milk residue on your child’s tongue, then you should consider using a clean, damp warm cloth to reduce milk build-up. Culturally, glycerine is a common cleaning agent to wipe the tongue.

“Parents are often hesitant to wipe the tongue as babies are not usually willing subjects to having their mouths invaded, but patience and persistence always wins,” Dr Griffith advised.

•If you find out that your breast pump, nipples or breasts were the reason for your baby being infected, then you may also want to throw out milk stored during the course of the infection so that you minimise possible re-infection to the child who has been treated or is being treated for oral thrush.