Seeking Help with Baby Thrush!

Updated on November 27, 2007
R.P. asks from El Paso, TX
24 answers

My 20 month old has trush! He is on long term antibiotics for reflux, which I think is the reason he got it. Does any one have any suggestions or info. for trating it or something that really worked for you?

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So What Happened?

Hello everyone! I am new to this site and I just absolutely love it. A huge thank you to all of you who helped me out so much with your replies. You all are awesome mommas!
Well, my babie's thrush went away after a week of Nystatin! We started it the Saturday after Thanksgiving and by Wednesday it was almost all gone, but...on Thursday it came back strong???? We kept him on the med. and by today it was gone again. Doc. said to stop the med. for now. Please pray it does not come back!!!
Thanks again from the bottom of my heart!
R.

Featured Answers

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L.G.

answers from Dallas on

My son had this twice as a newborn. On top of using meds, I had to boil Everything that touched his mouth right away for 30 minutes! It killed all the germs before they had a chance to spread. You may try cleaning his toys really well with an antibiotic wipe if he chews on them. Also if you use pacifiers, I would buy new ones and boil them often. That was the only thing that kept my sons from coming back. Hope that helps some!

1 mom found this helpful
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L.B.

answers from El Paso on

My daughter got thrush twice. You can just take him into the doctors office and they give you an antibiotic then usually you can refill it withn in a year if they get it again.

1 mom found this helpful
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R.C.

answers from Tyler on

Have someone that has not seen or had any contact with there father blow into there mouth. This does work.

1 mom found this helpful

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E.W.

answers from Corpus Christi on

my daughter had thrush for months and we could not get rid of it even with the prescription from the doc. we finally found this on the internet, it taste nasty but it worked in like 2 days for us.
1/8 tsp of apple cider vinegar
1/8 tsp of hydrogen peroxide
1&1/2 tsp of water
just mix it all together and get some qtips and rub it on each side of his mouth tongue and top of his mouth with different qtips just a couple times a day.

hope it works for you

2 moms found this helpful
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A.S.

answers from Dallas on

we went through it for weeks...you can get perc. from dr. nystantin sp?...but don't follow directions, give everytime you feed. put on your finger and rub all around babies mouth before and after each feeding. see link read through and see what will work for you...i never tried the violet...but the achyldephia sp? worked for us. http://www.breastfeedingonline.com/yeast.shtml

1 mom found this helpful
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A.E.

answers from San Antonio on

Go to your closest pharmacy and ask for gentian violet. It's an OTC, but they keep it behind the counter. I recommend applying it at bathtime because it will stain everything it touches, including your skin (at least temporarily). This will clear it up within a day or two and costs about $3. It's cheaper and quicker than the Nystatin your pedi will prescribe. Once the thrush is gone, remember to wipe your child's mouth with a damp cloth after each dose of his antibiotics. Drinking and saliva will not suffice, you really have to wipe with the damp cloth to remove any remnants of the medicine from his mouth.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from Houston on

http://www.thecandidayeastanswer.com/page/page/2840877.htm

The above site has a baby probiotic of good quality that you can order. This is very important to repair the damage done by the antibiotic use.
If you would like dietary advice, see http://www.bodyecologydiet.com/
and yes, as another person suggested- nix the sugar, but especially I think- nix the antibiotics.
I agree with other respondents: question the long-term antibiotic use, especially for reflux! Seek other approaches for the reflux, such as a pediatric CranioSacral Therapist or a good Chiropractor. Also know that his system is still immature and he may just need more time.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.I.

answers from Dallas on

My doctor gave my son nystatin. Worked wonders. Big difference just after the first use. It was gone within a week.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.M.

answers from Dallas on

Take him to your pediatrician first because if not properly treated the thrush can spread to the esophagus and become very serious. DO NOT use Gentian Violet. It is no longer recommended for babies due to its toxicity and the availability of other more effective treatments. You cannot swallow Gentian Violet because it is very poisonous if ingested, and I don't know many children under the age of 2 who understand how not to swallow something put in their mouth. My son has had thrush several times and the pediatrician always recommends trying Nystatin first. But, unfortunately it has never worked for us and we always end up using Diflucan, which is wonderful and we've seen results in a couple of days. I'm not really sure why the pediatrician's won't just go for the Diflucan first, but I've heard it's because of insurance not covering it until other meds are tried first.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.W.

answers from Houston on

I would suggest trying a more natural alternative for treatment. I recommend Tri-Health off of Fuqua. The gentleman who owns the shops name is Herman. He is FAB!!! You might also try Massie Chiropractic & Natural Medicine in Friendswood, ###-###-####. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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J.N.

answers from Corpus Christi on

do you brush his teeth? you could make sure you brush his tongue too....

my 2 cents.

J.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.J.

answers from Dallas on

My question would be why is your baby on antibiotics for reflux. My Gastro Dr. put our sons on Prevacid and Bethanachol or regland for reflux and they all had very severe reflux I have never heard of antibiotics for that. I would question that. But you might talk to your Dr. abouut Prbiotics that you can buy to add to their food or milk, that may help with the thrush.

Good luck, A. J

1 mom found this helpful
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J.K.

answers from Austin on

My daughter got it alot also when she was little.. I was told about this from a good friend and it worked... Ginsing Violet at the pharmacey I think the only one that carries it is wallgreens.The only down fall is that the toung and teeth get a little purple.. But with in 2 days it was gone and she was back to eating and sucking on her bottle... Its all natural... Good luck... PS also you can get yougert pills from the pharmacey OTC not expensive either..its with the pharmacey because it has to be in the frig.. My daughter is on that once a day when she is meds.. She gets yeast infections on her private now and then now that she is older... So try the yougert pill also..

1 mom found this helpful
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G.A.

answers from Dallas on

My sisters kids had that and the doctor gave them an antibotic. G. W

1 mom found this helpful
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L.S.

answers from Odessa on

He needs yogurt with live active cultures, cut way back on sugar, as sugar feeds the yeast that causes thrush, and take him to the doctor if you haven't already. If you can teach him to swish his mouth with warm salt water, that will help a tremendous amount. It might sting a little, but will give him some comfort afterwards, even if just for a short time.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.T.

answers from San Antonio on

A note on Gentian Violet. It will turn his mouth, sheets, and clothes purple. Your nipples too if you are nursing. So if you treat him (and yourself) with Gentian Violet, make sure you two are not in your Sunday best. My daughter and I struggled with thrush for about 7 months when she was an infant. It slowly cleared up on its own after we had tried everything under the sun. I hope you are more lucky than we were.

1 mom found this helpful
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L.F.

answers from Austin on

I've used something called Genitian violet. This is 'painted' inside the baby's mouth with a qtip. This stuff will STAIN. The baby's mouth will be a very vivid violet afterwards. Just follow the instructions. Check with your md, but i had to use it for 2 different bouts of thrush and my md ok'd it for us.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.M.

answers from San Antonio on

My nephew just had thrush and a La Leche League leader friend told her to spit in his mouth a few times a day. The reason is that babies have less antibacterial properties in their saliva then adults do so when bacteria gets in their mouth via pacifiers or fingers or whatever they can not fight it off and can develop thrush. It worked within 48 hours of doing it with them. The other thing is also to put the pacifier in your mouth first so your saliva can fight off anything that might be on it before sticking it in your childs mouth.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.B.

answers from Dallas on

Hi R.,

Thrush, or oropharyngeal candidiasis, is a common side effect of long-term antibiotic therapy. The treatment of thrush is rather simple. Topical therapy with nystatin (Mycostatin) or clotrimazole (Mycelex) is usually effective. This can be with liquid preparations or with "troches," substances that dissolve in the mouth like candy. In some circumstances, systemic (whole-body) therapy is necessary. Your son's pediatrician will be able to prescribe an appropriate therapy for treatment.

1 mom found this helpful

C.M.

answers from Dallas on

Whenever my kids are on antibiotics I always give them probotics (natural bacteria). I buy the capsule form and put it in applesauce or whatever they will eat/drink.

My question is, why is your son on long term antibiotics for reflux? My son suffered from terrible reflux (to the point we had to have major surgery for it) and none of the specialists we ever saw suggested antibiotics. I do not see how that would help, but I am curious to see what your doctor's logic is. Maybe I will learn something new!

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N.J.

answers from Dallas on

It is the antibiotics- call your Dr.'s nurse line & they can give you a prescription to balance the yeast in the mouth.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.A.

answers from Amarillo on

My nephew gets thrush all the time. The best treatments we have found are 1. feed him yogourt every day and 2. you can buy some purple stuff to paint their tongue with that helps a lot.

I've never heard of giving an antibiotic for reflux, usually just an antacid is given. I would question any long term antibiotics given to my kids, especially with the threat of antibiotic resistant staph killing so many kids. You wouldn't want your childs body to become immune to antibiotics.

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C.R.

answers from Dallas on

R.,
Use Acidophilus Probiotics. It will help to restore the bacteria that has been destroyed by the antibiotics that in turn destroy the yeast (thrush) that has over populated. It's natural and can be found at most health food stores. I use Nature's life brand that I get a Great Earth health store around the corner on my boys. It's also suppose to benefit those that have reflux as well. (My one year was diagnosed with infant reflux at 3 months old) I had thrush once after treatment for a bladder infection and they gave me some medicine that was in a hard candy form. I can't say that it helped me much. I can remember that it took FOREVER to get rid of! Sorry to here about your little boy.
Hope this helps,
C.

1 mom found this helpful
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P.C.

answers from Dallas on

Did anyone tell you to wipe his mouth out with a cloth? This can help get rid of the thrush. If he's still nursing, be sure you're cleaning yourself before and after each nursing session. You probably want to boil everything that goes, or is designed to go, into his mouth daily.

1 mom found this helpful
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