Contents:
- Medical Video: Taking Care of Your Children : How to Treat Oral Thrush in Newborns
- What causes canker sores in babies?
- Can baby canker sores continue to be breastfed?
- What are the symptoms of a baby who is having canker sores?
- How to treat canker sores in suckling babies?
- Miconazole
- Nystatin
- How to prevent canker sores in babies?
Medical Video: Taking Care of Your Children : How to Treat Oral Thrush in Newborns
Everyone can experience canker sores, including babies. Yes, in everyone's body there is an albicans candida fungus. This is a type of fungus that is normally found in everyone's digestive system. However, this fungus can grow and spread to other parts of the body in large quantities so that it can cause fungal infections or canker sores. Then, how can a baby with canker sores suckle?
What causes canker sores in babies?
Sprue can grow in the mouth of a suckling baby. Sprue grows well in a warm, humid and sweet place, such as the condition of your baby's mouth during breastfeeding. From your baby's mouth, then the fungus that causes canker sores can spread to your nipples. So, canker sores in your baby's mouth can move to your nipples, and vice versa from your nipples to your baby's mouth.
READ ALSO: 9 Ways to Use Coconut Oil for Babies
Thrush in the mouth is a common problem in infants. This can affect about 1 in 20 newborns and 1 in 7 babies 4 weeks old. Babies can easily experience canker sores because the baby's immune system is not fully developed so it is less able to fight infection. In addition, canker sores in the baby's mouth can also occur if your baby or yourself has just been treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics can reduce the level of good bacteria in your baby's mouth or your body, so this allows the amount of fungus to increase in the mouth of your baby or body. Babies or you can become more susceptible to fungal infections.
Sprue can spread easily if your nipples have blisters or if your baby does not stick properly. If you have had canker sores on your baby's mouth or on your nipples, you should treat them immediately so that the fungal infection does not spread.
Can baby canker sores continue to be breastfed?
Thrush in infants is not a barrier for you to keep breastfeeding your baby. Your baby should keep breastfeeding even though it might make him feel pain and even if only in a short time. Mothers may need more patience when breastfeeding babies who are having canker sores.
In addition, what must be done is to keep breastfeeding the baby directly in your breast. Do not give the baby breastmilk that has been stored even though it is stored in the refrigerator because there may be fungi or bacteria in the milk. This is done to avoid infection in infants.
What are the symptoms of a baby who is having canker sores?
You may not immediately realize that your baby is having canker sores. However, you can see the symptoms shown by babies who are having thrush, such as:
- White spots or small sores on the tongue, gums, palate or the inside of the cheeks
- Babies become restless when eating
- The baby may also not want to suckle on your breast because his mouth hurts
- The color of the lips becomes pale
- Babies experience diaper rash
The fungus that causes canker sores can also pass through your baby's digestive system and cause diaper rash. The rash is usually painful and moist with red spots, and can spread to the folds of the baby's skin.
If the baby shows symptoms as above, you should immediately take the baby to the doctor as an attempt to cure canker sores in your baby. Continue to feed your baby and keep all equipment in contact with your baby's mouth clean so that fungal infections that cause canker sores do not spread.
READ ALSO: Overcoming Nipple Blisters in Breastfeeding Mothers
How to treat canker sores in suckling babies?
Even if your baby is having canker sores, you still need to give milk to your baby. Your baby may be reluctant to breastfeed because of the pain in his mouth, the frequency of breastfeeding your baby may be less, but your baby still needs breast milk as his main food.
For this reason, if your baby has canker sores, it should be treated immediately. Thrush in infants can usually be treated with a gel or antifungal liquid. This is safe for your baby to use. Also, don't forget to wash your hands after treating your baby.
Some antifungal drugs that are usually used to treat thrush in infants are:
Miconazole
Miconazole is available as a gel. How to use it is to apply the gel to the area that has canker sores on the baby's mouth. Apply the gel with your finger slowly. Don't forget to wash your hands first before applying the gel to the baby's mouth.
Nystatin
Nystatin is available in the form of a liquid that is used by dripping the liquid directly into the area that has thrush with a dropper. Nystatin usually does not cause side effects and is easy to use in infants.
How to prevent canker sores in babies?
Sprue is caused by a fungal infection. Therefore, you need to prevent the spread of fungal infections if you want to prevent canker sores. Some things that can be done to prevent thrush in infants are:
- Wash baby toys, bottles, pacifiers, and breast pumps so that they are guaranteed to be clean. You need to wash it with soap and warm water.
- Wash your hands after you replace baby diapers to help prevent the spread of fungal infections that can get through the baby's digestive system.
- Wash your hands before feeding the baby.
- Use special towels for babies, separate from towels for other family members.
- Wash your baby's clothes with warm water (at 60 ° C) to kill the fungus and dry baby clothes in the sun.
- If your breasts start to blister, it should be treated immediately so that your breasts don't get an infection.
- Keep your breasts dry before and after you breastfeed your baby.
READ ALSO: 8 Reasons for Attracting Baby Nipples during Breastfeeding
