Treatment of thrush in newborns: basic methods

When is it necessary to treat thrush in newborns? When there is redness on the mucous membrane of the baby's mouth, small white rashes resembling cottage cheese grains, and milky spots on the tongue. This is candidiasis - an acute form of pseudomembranous oropharyngeal candidiasis, which occurs when the oral cavity is affected by the yeast-like fungus Candida.

According to statistics, at least 2% of children develop this fungal disease in the first two months after birth, and mothers need to know what treatment methods for this disease should be used.

Methods of treating thrush in newborns

Treatment of oral thrush in newborns is carried out at home, but only after the child has been examined by a pediatrician. And although the baby may not show the slightest concern, there is no need to delay therapy, since the fungus multiplies and affects increasingly larger areas of the mucous membrane.

The main means for combating oral fungus in newborns are applied locally, that is, by applying to the mucous membranes of the inner sides of the cheeks, palate and tongue.

Treatment of thrush in newborns with soda

Treatment with soda is well known and tested in practice. It is effective due to the alkalization of the environment in the mouth, which is not suitable for the Candida fungus: it can exist and reproduce only in an acidic environment.

You need to prepare a 2% solution of sodium bicarbonate: dissolve a dessert spoon of baking soda in 200 ml of boiled cooled water. Using a piece of sterile bandage wound around a finger and soaked in a soda solution, carefully wipe the entire mucous membrane of the baby's cheeks, gums and tongue. The procedure should be carried out every 3-4 hours for several days.

The mother should separately prepare the same solution for herself - to thoroughly treat the nipples and areolas of the mammary glands before and after each feeding, because the fungus is contagious.

Speaking of acidic environments, pediatricians say that infants who regularly burp after feeding are more likely to develop candidiasis due to the ingestion of acidic stomach contents (as a result of esophageal reflux). Therefore, doctors recommend giving infants a sip of water (after feeding).

Treatment of thrush in newborns with brilliant green

It would be possible to justify the treatment with brilliant green by the fact that Brilliant green (2% alcohol solution) contains a phenolic compound, which provides a strong antiseptic effect. But this does not mean that the remedy for skinned knees can be applied to the mouth of a tiny child: aniline dye is dissolved in 57% ethanol. In addition, brilliant green can only be effective in case of ulceration of the mucous membrane. And, in addition, after wiping the mucous membrane with a soda solution, brilliant green is not suitable at all, due to its complete incompatibility with alkalis.

Another representative of antiseptic dyes - Methylene blue (methylthionium chloride) - is not used for the treatment of children in the form of an alcohol solution, so you need to find an aqueous solution in the pharmacy. This also applies to Fukortsin (Castellani paint), the antiseptic and antifungal action of which is provided by phenol, which has all the properties of phenol, resorcinol, boric acid, acetone and fuchsin dye. And it is intended for external use, for example, for lubricating papules in chickenpox (it acts due to the coagulation of protein components of the exudate). So do not be surprised if the baby's tongue turns white and vomiting begins.

Some doctors may recommend treating tongue thrush in newborns by treating the tongue surface with a sterile swab soaked in a 20% solution of sodium tetraborate (borax) in glycerin. Sodium tetraborate is a derivative of boric acid, used as a bactericidal and fungicidal agent. However, this substance has an irritating effect at the site of application, and at the cellular level behaves as a toxin. According to the instructions, it can cause seizures in children, so it is not used in pediatric practice.

And do not listen to advice on using boric acid to treat a baby's mouth, as it penetrates through the mucous membranes and can cause epithelial cell detachment, convulsions, vomiting, and kidney dysfunction. Remember that boric acid was previously used to combat domestic red cockroaches...

Treatment of thrush in newborns with Nystatin

Absolutely all pediatricians recognize that treatment with Nystatin for 4-6 days is safe and effective.

Safe because the drug is not absorbed into the mucous membrane and does not have cumulative properties. Effective - because the Candida fungus does not tolerate it and dies due to the disruption of the cytoplasmic membranes of its cells and the disruption of their electrolyte homeostasis.

The polyene antifungal drug Nystatin (tablets of 250 and 500 thousand units) can be used to prepare a mixture, or rather, an aqueous suspension, since it is insoluble in water. Therefore, the tablet (250 thousand units) must be crushed properly - to powder. And then mixed with boiled and cooled water (200 ml). Use according to the same method as the soda solution, but no more than 4 times a day.

You can find information on the possible use of 1% solution of Candid (Canison, Candibene) for candidiasis in infants, in particular if Nystatin did not help. Candid contains the active ingredient clotrimazole (imidazole derivative), which is used in the treatment of skin mycoses, as well as urogenital localization of candidiasis, including vaginal thrush, vaginitis and vulvitis, as well as vaginal treatment before childbirth. According to the instructions of most Candid manufacturers, it is not used in pediatrics. It can cause side effects in the form of hyperemia, edema and itching of the vaginal mucosa, so such side effects are not excluded when using this drug in newborns. However, many doctors recommend smearing plaques in the mouth with this solution (2-3 times a day for a week).

They also advise treating the baby's mouth with Sanguiritrine (0.2% solution). Firstly, the solution is alcoholic, and the baby is a newborn, so half a teaspoon of the preparation should be diluted in warm boiled water (100 ml) before the procedure. Secondly, you should know that the bacteriostatic property of this herbal preparation is provided by the alkaloids of the Chinese Macleaya cordata of the poppy family - sanguinarine and chelerythrine (in the form of hydroxides). The same alkaloids are found in the well-known celandine, Canadian cinquefoil (Sanguinaria canadensis), Mexican prickly poppy (Argemone Mexicana) and common opium poppy. Sanguinarine is a toxic benzyl-isoquinoline alkaloid.

Treatment of thrush in newborns with folk remedies

It is also possible to treat with folk remedies by treating the child’s mouth and tongue:

• a decoction of calendula flowers (a tablespoon of raw material per 250 ml of water);
• a decoction of chamomile flowers;
• sage herb decoction;
• oak bark decoction;
• sea buckthorn oil;
• aloe juice;
• honey water (a teaspoon per half glass of warm boiled water);
• with tea rose jam syrup (the baby is given a pacifier dipped in the syrup).

Freshly squeezed carrot juice raises doubts, since we did not find any arguments in support of its antifungal properties. And the advice to lubricate the mucous membranes in the mouth with egg whites and table salt is simply terrifying: raw egg whites can introduce salmonella bacteria into the baby's body - the causative agent of an intestinal disease (salmonellosis), which affects the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, the child may be prone to allergic reactions, including to egg albumin. And the manifestation of allergies is the most unexpected, up to anaphylactic shock.

As it turned out, the treatment of thrush in newborns has many nuances. We tried to make sure that mothers were aware. Health to you and your children!