THRUSH

 

Symptoms | When to call | Homecare Advice

 

HOME CARE ADVICE FOR THRUSH (Pending Talking With Your Doctor)

  1. Decrease Sucking Time to 20 Minutes per Feeding:  Reason: prolonged sucking (as when a baby sleeps with a bottle or pacifier) can irritate the lining of the mouth and make it more prone to yeast infection.  For severe mouth pain with bottle feeding, offer fluids in a cup,spoon or syringe rather than a bottle (reason: the nipple increases pain).
  2. Limit Pacifier Use to Bedtime:  Again, prolonged sucking on a pacifier can irritate the mouth.  If your infant is using an orthodontic pacifier, switch to a smaller, regular one (reason: bigger ones can irritate the mouth more).
  3. Breastfeeding:  If mother's nipples are red and sore, apply Lotrimin Cream (no prescription needed) 4 times per day AFTER feedings.
  4. Diaper Rash:  If there's a bad diaper rash, it's also probably due to yeast. Apply Lotrimin cream (no prescription needed) 4 times per day (see DIAPER RASH guideline).
  5. Contagiousness:  Thrush is not contagious, since it does not invade normal tissue. Your child can go to day care with thrush.
  6. Expected Course:  With treatment, thrush usually clears up in 4 to 5 days. Without treatment, it clears up in 2-8 weeks.
  7. Call Your Doctor If:
    • Your child becomes worse or develops any of the "Call Your Doctor" symptoms.

Disclaimer: This information is not intended be a substitute for professional medical advice. It is provided for educational purposes only. You assume full responsibility for how you choose to use this information.

Pediatric SelfCareNavigator. Copyright © 2000-2004 Barton Schmitt, M.D. FAAP

Reviewed 8/2004

Revised 7/2004

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