Approximately one third of babies up to three or four months old may have throng. But what is this rare name infection?
Is a very common infection caused by a fungus called “candida albicans” (for that reason, it is also called oral candidiasis) that manifests itself in the form of white spots inside the cheeks, palate, tongue and lips.
It looks like sliced milk or yogurt and that's why sometimes we don't realize what it really is. To verify this, a sterile gauze moistened with boiled water can be passed through the tongue; If the white dots continue there, it is a thrush, but the spots will disappear.
In principle, it is totally harmless, although sometimes it can be a bit annoying for the baby, causing burning and therefore the rejection of food. In some more pronounced cases in which the infection spreads to the pharynx, it may prevent swallowing and cause aphonia, which is noticed when the child cries. The fungus disappears in a few days. The only thing we can do to eliminate it is to clean the inside of the baby's mouth with gauze soaked in solution prepared with a teaspoon of baking soda dissolved in a cup of warm water, previously boiled. You have to wrap your finger with the gauze and lightly touch the affected areas three or four times a day until the spots completely disappear.
Although thrush is more common in small babies, it can also appear in older children, especially after antibiotic treatment, which alters the bacterial flora of the mouth.
If you notice that the baby is very upset, refuses food or is afflicted, consult with the pediatrician. You may also notice white dots on the culete when changing it, it is candida dermatitis, the same fungus extended to the intestine and removed with the poops.
