Thrush on Tongue

My son had was diagnosed with thrush when he was just a couple of months old. We noticed because I was nursing and he gave it to me. His tongue was white and filmy. The dr gave him a small amount of antibiotics and it took care of it right away. My daughter gets yeast infections when she has antibiotics, so when she takes them I give her extra yogurt or acidopholus. That's not too much help for you now, but maybe in the future.

It sounds like he needs Gentian Violet (purple dye) - I am a nurse and we use it on kids all the time and it works great!!

I would RUN not walk to Mayo clinic. I have never heard of thrush exhibited by a black tongue and sores. When my babies occasionally got thrush it was white patches in the mouth and on the tongue. Please seek a second opinion. His speech will certainly continue to be affected and it could hurt his academic development as well.

Like everybody else said you need to get that kid to Mayo ASAP!!!!

That doesn't sound right to me. But I am not a doctor either. My son had thrush shortly after having surgery and was given Nystatin I think is what it was. I might be wrong on the name. But the doctor prescribed a medication for me to give to him 3-4 times a day. It cleared it up and he hasn't had it since. That was almost 1 1/2 years ago now. I would get a second opinion for sure.

My son had thrush on his tongue as a one year old and the doctor gave him a prescription for Nystatin. It was a syrup that he had to swish around in his mouth for a minute (or as long as we could get him to do it!) before he swallowed it. It worked great - cleared up in a few days.

Thrush is a yeast infection in the mouth and standard treatment is Nystatin - I'd ask for a prescription from your doctor.

That said, my son's thrush was a white plaque - like stuff on his tongue. I don't know about the black and the sores, if it is a more advanced case or if it is something else, but I would definitely have him checked out somewhere.

Good luck.

I know nothing about this, but in my opinion this is not something you just wait a few years for a kid to "grow out of"! Encourage your sister to find a new doctor immediately!

My daughter had thrush when she was a baby, but it was white plaque looking stuff, but with medicine from the dr it cleared up. Like a comment before, I would definitely get him in to someone else, if his tonge is black w/ sores...that doesnt sound like thrush!!
Good luck, hope everything turns out ok!

T.

Do a search on Thrush through google. It says that it is white(not black, like your nephews)http://www.righthealth.com/Health/Candidiasis/-od-definit...
Also that it should clear up in two weeks, not years. And when it does not clear up there are antifungal meds like Diflucan that are normally perscribed. Tell your sister to be more proactive in this and switch Drs ASAP. And if his immune system is supressed, which generally is why they get thrush, why? She needs someone to give her better answers. You are a great Aunt and sister! Keep gently pushing her to do more about it. I have a sister who most of the time will do the opposite of every thing I suggest to her because she just is so stubborn:) I don't know if Mayo is the next step, but at least getting another opinion soon should be.

Hi there. Sorry to hear about your nephew's toungue issue. My 10 month old has had thrush off and on for quite awhile now. I can tell you that it is white...almost like they just drank formula/milk and there is some left on the tongue. If his tongue is black there is something else wrong with him. I would make sure his mother takes him to a Dr that has some common sense and real medical expertise. If he's having speech problems it is rather serious. I can tell you that the purple stuff stains everything in sight. If he receives the treatments make sure he keeps his hands out of his mouth b/c everything he comes in contact with will be ruined. Good Luck!!

I am really surprised that the doctor has let it go this long. My son got it when he was about a year old and they gave us a medicine to rub in the inside of his mouth it was yellow and nasty smelling and he did not like it at all but it worked and cleared it up. SInce he is old enough to not swallow the water you could try to mix peroxide and water and have him gargle like they do when you have your tonsils out and see if that helps otherwise if they havent tried the medicine see if they can

I'm a nurse and I thought thrush made the tongue red with white patches, it sounds like an allergic reaction or something caused necrosis. I hope he gets better soon!

K.,
Find a NEW doctor - FAST.
As infants my boys had thrush from time to time as well.
With prescription oral meds, it always cleared up. There is no reason your nephew's speach and food intake should be affected by thrush.
Unless of course it really isn't thrush. Always a possibility that there is a misdiagnosis there. Thrush is not hard to get rid of.
I'd find another DR or go to Mayo. But I certainly would not continue to go to a DR that was not helping my child.
Everyone should shop for a DR the same way they shop for everything else. Find what works for you. Don't continue to do something that is unproductive.
You pay the DR? Well then you have hired the DR and he works for you...think of it the way an employer would think of his/her employee. You do not keep non-productive employees. I am a retail manager - and believe me, if my employees don't do the job I hired them to do, I find someone else to do it.
GOOD LUCK!! I hope you find an answer soon for your nephew.

It's ridiculous that the MD hasn't prescribed something for this yeast overgrowth. In addition to those already listed, there are other topical or systemic treatments. Diflucan is one example of a systemic treatment, although it might not be approved for use in children yet. Either get back to the MD & demand a treatment, or go to another pedicatrician (Mayo probably isn't necessary).

In addition, your sister might want to do some reading up on Candida (yeast) overgrowth & how to treat it with diet. This could be a big benefit for him too. For example, cut out all simple sugars from the diet, & eat a couple servings of yogurt with LIVE ACTIVE CULTURES in it daily (preferably without sugar).

I think the switching toothbrushes is a good idea too. Good luck.

Hi K.,

That does not seem right. Has she gotten any second opinions from a pediatrition or a dentist? I spent 15 yrs in health care and I have never heard of this extreme of a case.

Try acidopholus. You can get children's chewable tablets, or powdered acidopholus (to add to juice or yogurt), in the health food section of the grocery store (usually refridgerated). Also healthy organic yogurts have more acidopholus than other brands. Avoid sugar, as sugar feeds thrush (a yeast infection). B-vitamins and lots of Vitamin C may help too.

You have obviously gotten a lot of advice and I think a lot of it is great. Thrush is typically white but it can also have a brown "hairy" or blackish appearance. The mouth can also be very painful. I would definitely recommend a course of Diflucan (fluconazole) for about 7-10 days, and even longer if it's better but not clear. The Nystatin is ok, but it contains a lot of sugar that just feeds the yeast more. The Gentian Violet is also a very good antifungal medication (that's the purple medicine that you paint on the tongue). But I think he will get the best improvement on the Diflucan. I work for a doctor that deals with a lot of atypical situations, and we see this a lot. I would be interested to hear how he turns out!

Just wanted to chime in...my son had a systemic yeast overgrowth when he was 6 months old. Because it was in his system, he had pervasive thrush and a yeasty diaper rash. For him, topical treatments did not work, so my ped. prescribed Diflucan. It went away and has never come back. Just thought I'd mention it since another reader suggested Diflucan but didn't know if it was prescribed for children. (It is.) Good luck...sounds very painful and I'm sad that he's had this for so long.

You need to go see a different doc as soon as possible!! I have never known thrush to be anything by white. See info below.
What is thrush?
Thrush is a yeast infection that causes white patches in the mouth and on the tongue. Thrush is most common in babies and older adults, but it can occur at any age.

This info is from WebMD site.

My infant had thrush and it cleared up on its own, I have never heard of thrush being black with hard sores.

I know someone who had thrush really bad and one thing she did as she was taking medication was switch toothbrushes daily and it went away after that but u can't keep using the same tbrush and people 4 get

Not a clue what it could be, but I'd get him to Mayo (or a similar pedatric specialty place) sooner rather than later! That is not normal. Does he have any other sympotms? I know there is more and more information out there on yeast allergies and sensitivities and people having success with a gluten-free diet. But I am certainly no expert on this aside from my sister's experience (which was as an adult and just involved a "coating" onher tongue, among many other symptoms) Good Luck! also, I just read further on "anne-marie's" response. THis is also what my sister had to do--find someone who was willing to listen, as traditional allergy testing indicated no allergies, but eliminating yeast-type products from her diet (especially the gluten) was the ONLY thing that helps her stay symptom free (and she tried lots of other stuff!)

Oh my word! The poor kiddo! And your poor sis! That is hard for a mom to go through.
The thrush has probably turned into a systemic yeast infection. I would not take him to Mayo, I would take him to a naturopath, unless Mayo has Drs that specialize in alternative medicine.
I would guess a month of an elimination diet, several probiotics and something to sooth his discomfort would be in order.
I got very sick in Thailand and was on TONS of antibiotics that ruined my body (I am not against them totally). I thought I was dying. I had yeast so strong in my body that it was in my lungs and nothing the Dr gave me could clear it up. I went to a naturopath in Litchfield, MN and I am totally healthy now!
Message me if you have any questions! You are a very caring auntie to ask for help for him!
-Anne
I just want to add that systemic means it is through the entire body and needs to be healed from the inside out. I was not very clear on that:) sorry!

I know nothing about thrush, but I will say your sister should find a new Dr. Its insane and so sad that the child is 8 yrs old and still dealing with this. Shame on that doctor. If it were my child, I would have sought a different pediatrician ages ago. Good luck.

I would see a different Dr for sure and maybe look into alternative medicine as well as nutrient rich foods, even if you need to blend them up!

Hi K.,

Sorry to hear what your nephew has been struggling through. I am surprised to hear that her ped. said that he'd "grow out of it".

Wow, you have gotten some EXCELLENT advice!!!

Thrush is simply a yeast overgrowth in the body.
Controlling his diet with help. Sugar feeds yeast...so have her cut out all sugar and dairy.
Probiotics (as others have said) will help, but he may need something stronger.

I would also agree that it would be helpful to try an alternative doctor or a holistic practioner. We did that with my infant daughter, and the "remedy" he gave me worked wonderfully. I know a great one in Woodbury if your sister is interested. (I'm not sure where your nephew lives) He has kids, and it very knowledgeable.

It is VERY common for antibotics to disrupt the balance of yeast (among other things) in the body.

This further proves how we all need to stay on top of our own and childrens medical care. Pediatricians need to know that if they don't have the answer, they need to refer you to someone that will. I would say that your sister should definately go to Mayo or consult with another doctor or specialist. Two of my three sons had thrush and it wasn't black at any point. It was white. One of them had it reoccur after treatment and it went away the second time. But at no time was it black or had an odor. I wish your nephew all the best and hope you find a solution soon. Please update us all.

I would try giving him drinkable Aloe. You can get a Strawberry/Kiwi flavor that my 8 year old son likes at www.marketamerica.com/cbalbright. The Aloe has very healing properties - lots of good probiotics. Try having him drink 2 oz. at a time, a few times throughout the day. We use Aloe when we have canker sores and sore throats - it's very soothing. Good luck!

Hi K.-

The "purple Stain" that a couple readers referred to is called: Venetian Violet. I dealt with thrush a great deal with my son and when he was younger and breast feeding. Yes, the Dr. can apply it, but you can also get it at the Pharmacy. It is normally behind the counter, but you do not need a RX for it. It was the only thing that worked for my son and I sear we tried EVERYTHING that all the responses listed. It's really easy to use and the Pharmacist will give you directions. It does stain, so just make sure your little one is wearing an old shirt when you apply it. it was a God-send for us! Good luck.

I would look into gettin him some probiotics

I have seen THRUSH before and it has always been WHITE in color and looks like cottage cheese on the sides of the mouth, and a milky whitw film or coating on the tounge that will not scrape away with your fingernail. My first daughter had it quite a bit as a baby. I was told by her peds doctor that it was a form of a yeast infection caused by the antibiotic she was on for her ears. HOWEVER it transfer very easy from butt to mouth and that is exactly what it did. She had to have a swab method of meds on her tounge 2-3 times per day till gone. I also have seen this in various children at my daycare home and all were perscribed the same swab on meds. I have never seen BLACK thrush , but maybe thats what happens after a while? I was also told that it is very painfull , and thats one reason the babies stop eating when they have this. I can't believe that there is Nothing that the doc can do... I was never told they would grow out of it. Maybe change doctors or contact a good dentist . It seems to really be hindering his way of life and what if it was a miss diognosis? That surly happens enough. Hope this info has helped a little I feel bad for the little guy he must be miserable.

Run, don't walk, to Mayo Clinic. There is no reason this shouldn't have cleared up by now. My daughter had thrush in the mouth 3x when she was younger, and each time, the "purple dye" medicine (can't remember the name, I just remember it stained everything purple!) took care of the problem. That it has gotten to such a point is alarming, to say the least. For his sake, I hope Mayo can help him.

The Mayo Clinic--Rochester, MN is wonderful. They diagnosed my mother's menopause/change of life symptoms when no one else could, and diagnosed my grandpa when he came down with French Polio. They'll find out what's wrong with your nephew's tongue. ;)

A.

my oldest son was born with thrush. there is a medication that they can brush in the mouth to clear this up. seek mecical advice on it. you can also help him by brushing his mouth with a toothbrush to keep it down. your dr should never of let it get this far. it's not good. i'd seek another opion from another ped. dr. hope this helps..A. d.

Mayo Clinic sounds like a good idea.

My son is quite a bit younger than your nephew, but his pedi said that whenever you give him an antibiotic, Yougurt will help prevent and treat thrush, and diaper rash.. Just a thought who knows maybe it will work. Best of luck

What doctor is seeing this child?! It's more than time for a second opinion! I have seen many thrush infections due to antibiotics...many times prescribed liquid Nystatin. Push, push, push for better medical treatment!!! Nota taking care of this can lead to many other secondary problems...and it looks like he's beginning to have some! I'm a nurse at Mayo and can give you a name of a great Pediatrcian if you need. Just let me know!
____@____.com

Hi K.,
Tea tree oil is very effective against Thrush. Thrush can become resistant to products like Lysine. Also look into his diet, like no sugar, cheese ect. I work with a company that has a recidpe for thrush. Feel free to e-mail directly.
Best of Health,
S.
http://www.YesToSuccess.net/S.
helping families with health and wealth fro almost 12 years

K. have you ever gave any thought to bring him to someone natural or using a homeopathic way? I see a wonderful lady here in town. She is wonderful and may just very well be able to tell you what it is directly coming from and give you a very easy way to help or fix it completely.
She just opened up her own place called Energy Health a& Wellness. She hs been doing this for years and is a wealth or information. What she does is called Electro Dermal Screening (EDS). I have been amazed at what she can "cure." It is an option for you... If you want to call her and talk to her I am sure she would be more than open and helpful in answering questions. Her phone is ###-###-####.

Best wishes to you and your son.

Take away the sugar in his diet (primarily sucrose and corn syrups), stick with natural sugars predominantly from fresh fruits. Stear clear of refined wheat products (use whole grain foods, especially breads). When sweetening foods, use moderate amounts of honey, 100% pure fruit juices, etc. www.buyactivatedcharcoal.com sells medical grade (a.k.a. activated charcoal) it is a natural anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral product. I would recommend having him drink a liquid suspension (mix 1 teaspoons in 8oz of water 3-4 times daily. He can also brush his teeth with it, either added to Tom's of Maine toothpaste, or by itself. It will not hurt him, but it can be constipating, make sure he drinks plenty of fluid throughout the day.

I was told that thrush is usually white and does take a little while to clear up but not that long unless continually exposed to the source. Maybe a couple of weeks but never years. Thrush isn't something you "grow out of". It sounds more like a different kind of fungus or another infection. I belive it would really be smart to have a second opinion very soon.