[squeek]

Did any of you have an infant with thrush (oral)? On Friday the doctor prescribed Nystatin liquid for Zack.

Is there anything I can do to clear it up faster? Any magical cures besides prescriptions. He's only 3 months. I know it's a fungal thing and will take time. I've had it due to cancer treatments and know it can be painful.

Thank you!!!

[skootinalong2]

I wish there was some magical way to get rid of it but, it takes time. My first born had it and Ihave had foster babies with it. My grandson also had it. I have been told that thrush can cause a baby to be colicy, too. My DD sure was. Make sure you rinse the applicator off after every use. Also, change the nipples on the bottle if the baby doesn't finish all and you save it. If you are nursing, put the med. on your nipples. (Sorry for TMI) This is all the things my DD ped. told her to do. Good luck getting rid of it.

Ter

[lisa in venice]

DIFLUCAN!!!!!! It is a serious antifungal and will knock out the thrush in about two days but they always make you try the Nystatin first. My younger two had thrush (and gave it to me because they were breastfeeding and just let me say "OUCH!") Nystatin is okay and will eventually work but Diflucan is like magic. If after a week it is not gone with the nystatin go in and ask for Diflucan. Afterwards you can work on preventing the next out break with daily doses of bifidopilous/acidophilous (spelling) to help balance the flora and fauna in his little body. Thrush only takes hold when the natural bacteria that would normally kill it off get out of balance. Some people are just mroe prone to it than others. BTW if he has it in his mouth watch for it in his diapers. Yeast shows up as little red spots that go from just spots to painful little ulcers in a matter of hours but a good over the counter anti-fungal cream works wonders. Oh btw if you use the Diflucan you will not have to worry about yeast in his diaper area, that stuff works on ANY yeast in you body.

Oh last thing. In both of my kids thrush was part of a sensitivity to cow's milk so if you try everything and it still keeps coming back you might want to ask about some formula alternatives like soy or goat's milk (you have to import that stuff)

lisa

[NDN]

Originally Posted by squeek

Any magical cures besides prescriptions. He's only 3 months.

Nystatin is probably the best perscription to treat oral candida. Because baby has thrush, be on the lookout for other yeast infections (such as rashes in the diaper area) which could indicate a systemic overgrowth.

If you are ever caught without a prescription and can't get one right away, there are a few OTC things you can get. Gentian violet works well and is available in most pharmacies without a perscription. You dilute it in water because it tastes bitter at full stregth, and sawb it in their bouth 4x per day. However, it is purple and will stain just about anything. Tea tree oil diluted in water actually works better than the gentian violet, but has to be used anywhere from 6 to 10x during the day.

The tea tree oil seems to work just as well as nystatin, but because it has to be used so often, most people prefer to get the persription. However, I like to mention it for those people that have to, for one reason or another, wait a day or two to get a script.

Hope baby starts feeling better soon.

[NDN]

Originally Posted by lisa in venice

DIFLUCAN!!!!!! It is a serious antifungal and will knock out the thrush in about two days but they always make you try the Nystatin first. My younger two had thrush (and gave it to me because they were breastfeeding and just let me say "OUCH!") Nystatin is okay and will eventually work but Diflucan is like magic. If after a week it is not gone with the nystatin go in and ask for Diflucan. Afterwards you can work on preventing the next out break with daily doses of bifidopilous/acidophilous (spelling) to help balance the flora and fauna in his little body. Thrush only takes hold when the natural bacteria that would normally kill it off get out of balance. Some people are just mroe prone to it than others. BTW if he has it in his mouth watch for it in his diapers. Yeast shows up as little red spots that go from just spots to painful little ulcers in a matter of hours but a good over the counter anti-fungal cream works wonders. Oh btw if you use the Diflucan you will not have to worry about yeast in his diaper area, that stuff works on ANY yeast in you body.

Oh last thing. In both of my kids thrush was part of a sensitivity to cow's milk so if you try everything and it still keeps coming back you might want to ask about some formula alternatives like soy or goat's milk (you have to import that stuff)

lisa

They make you try nystatin first because it is not a systemic medicine, it works only localy. Diflucan is a systemic med--meaning it gets into your bloodstream and will kill the candida throughtout your body. If you find yeast in other places (like what Lisa said about the diapers) you should definitely go back and talk to the doc about a systemic treatment. Systemic candida is actually a symptom of an inbalance in the natural flora of the body--and therefore calls for immune system support. Do some online research about candida albicans. There is a wealth of info out there.

[AwaitingBeloved]

DD has it, too. She's on her second bottle of Nystatin. There's conflicting studies about it, most I've read says it's only like 54% effective. And there's conflicting suggestions on how to give it. The first Dr. told me to put it in her formula, yet the paperwork said give it 5-10 minutes before a feeding. The first pharmacist said give it on sterile gauze and let her suck it and the other pharmacist said no, use the medicine applicator and squirt half doses into each cheek. The second Dr. said the cheek thing but the second pharmacist said use after each feeding and coat all areas of her mouth with it using a cotton swab. Some say it's more important it sits in her mouth (DD hates it and spits it out) and others say it's more important for her to swallow it. I will say, last Sunday, our typically serene little girl was miserable. I think because her mouth/throat were hurting.


(OP, DH had Oral thrush when he had cancer, too! Just wanted to share that with you. Hope you're well!)

[momofmykids]

Nystatin is NASTY...super sweet...ick.

I've always used it with a cotton swab. Dip it in the medicine and then kind of "scrub" the mouth with the swab. Also make sure you are sterilizing ANYTHING that comes in contact with baby's mouth. You can boil or use the Medela sterilizing bags. You just gotta kill that stuff!

Poor thing, I've had it and it's miserable. My pediatrician won't give Diflucan to infants.

[mommy3]

We just went through this protocol with our baby dd, too. My ds had a nasty case of thrush that wouldn't go away, so I've been there a few times. What we think may have spread the thrush with our babe is her pacifiers, which we were washing every day but reusing during the day. Sooo, I bought a bunch of them (yea online auctions) and we use them only once, then wash them in hot soapy water daily. The Nystatin worked well. Our ped had us use several qtips so you don't get the yeast in the Nystatin. (Don't "double-dip"!). Also, some babies' bodies just grow Candida easier than others. . . such fun (that was my ds). For most, Nystatin and careful washing of paci's, etc., does the trick. susan

[lisa in venice]

Oh one more thing. With thrush bleach is your friend, don't be afraid to use it. Nothing kills fungus faster than Clorox just remember to rinse well and then air out whatever you soaked in bleach solution.

lisa

[squeek]

Thank you all for responding.

I like the Q-tip idea, I hadn't even thought of that. I'd been giving him the 1ml and can't quite understand how it stays there to work .

I put everything in the dishwasher to sterilize.

[alwaysus]

OK, Elijah went through 3 bottles of nystantin and diflucan and the thrush came back when he went on an antibiotic. I boiled the heck out of everything and was a bear about handwashing etc...but it still came back!Our new dr told me to " Take some baking yeast from the fridge( yes, the kind you make bread with) and mix about a 1/2 tsp with a few drops of water and rub it on the babys tounge and cheeks a few times a day" I'll be darned if it didnt clear it up in 2 days! So much better then the meds. Plus, diflucan has not been approved for babies, ( even though they can still prescribe it)

The yeast and the thrush compete and the yeast is stronger, therefore killing the thrush, or starving it, or whatever, My doc explained it much better.

Good Luck,

[momofmykids]

Lana, GREAT idea! Thanks for sharing!!

OT, still praying for Elijah.

[taramayrn]

Just a note from a nurse who has patients who get thursh alot (cancer patients on chemo). It's important that the nystatin be swished around in the mouth first before swallowing. I know this is hard with an infant, but I like the idea of using a cotton swab to coat the mouth first. I would give it after eating so it won't get washed away.

[AwaitingBeloved]

Lana, I'm going to try that! I'm at my wits end because I think it is hurting her some days!! And you all know how much it stinks watching your little one hurt like that!!

Thank you!

[alwaysus]

Yes, the thrush hurt Elijahs tongue. It also upset his little tummy. ( It can also run through and cause a yeast infection on the baby's bottom)
The Nystatin gave him diahrrea. The yeast worked very well. Just apply iy like you would the nystatin.I wish I would have known that 6 babies ago! Sarah had thrush when she was a baby too. From what our MD said, thrush is becoming resistant to the meds, thats why it takes so much more to clear it up. Elijah didn't mind the yeast at all. I gave it to him for a few days after it the thrush cleared up, just to make sure it was gone.