Yeast Infection Products

Yeast Infection Topics

Yeast Infections In Infants

Infants and children are very susceptible to yeast overgrowth. For infants, yeast infections can be passed from mother to child while in the birth canal or while breast feeding. For children, it can develop as a result of the prevalence of prescribing antibiotics for ear infections.

An infant’s digestive system is completely sterile when he or she is born. Their digestive systems are populated with good and bad bacteria exclusively from the mother's breast milk or the formula they are given. If a mother has Candida, she will not be able to pass the baby as much good bacteria as someone who is not fighting this condition. Therefore, the baby develops Candida because she doesn't have any good bacteria to combat it. If they have Candida, their immune systems are compromised which leads to sickness and possibly ear infections which are treated with – antibiotics.

This only makes the condition worse

Infants Symptoms of yeast in children can manifest in many different ways. Oral thrush shows up as a white, patchy tongue. Skin rash is another possible indicator. Children can also develop chronic, severe stomach problems where there are prone to throwing up. Candida has been linked in some studies to ADD, ADHD and Autism.

Some of the behavior problems which have been linked to an overgrowth of Candida albicans include: confusion, hyperactivity, short attention span, lethargy, irritability, and aggression. Health problems can include: headaches, stomachaches, constipation, gas pains, fatigue, and depression. These problems are often worse during damp and/or muggy days and in moldy places. Additionally, exposure to perfumes and insecticides can worsen the condition.

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.

In babies, it is easy to mistake thrush for milk or formula. It looks like cottage cheese or milk curds. Some babies with thrush can be cranky and do not want to eat.

In most cases, doctors can diagnose thrush just by looking at the white patches. Your doctor will also ask you questions about your health. If your doctor thinks that a health problem, such as diabetes, may be causing thrush, you may also be tested for that condition.

Thrush in babies is usually not serious, and you can treat it with antifungal medicine such as nystatin liquid. In most cases, you will put the medicine directly on the white patches. When a baby has thrush, the yeast can cause a diaper rash at the same time as thrush. Your baby may need nystatin cream or ointment for his or her diaper area.

If your baby has thrush, it may help to:

•    Clean bottle nipples and pacifiers regularly using hot water.

•    Clean your nipples with medicine, such as nystatin, if you breast-feed your baby. Breast-feeding mothers and babies can pass a yeast infection back and forth.

•    Dry your nipples and apply lanolin lotion after breast-feeding.

The yeast causing thrush can pass from one person to another in different ways.

•    A newborn can get thrush during birth, especially if his or her mother had a vaginal yeast infection during labor and delivery. Symptoms of thrush generally appear 3 to 7 days after birth. Newborns and infants have an immature immune system and have not fully developed a healthy balance of bacteria and yeast in their mouths. Because of this, thrush is common during the first few months of life.

•    In otherwise healthy toddlers and older children, thrush is usually not contagious. But a child with a weakened immune system may develop thrush by sharing infected toys or pacifiers with a child who has the infection. A child with thrush spreads the thrush yeast onto anything the child puts in his or her mouth. Another child may then get thrush by putting a contaminated object into his or her mouth.

•    Adults who wear false teeth (dentures) are at a higher risk for developing thrush and spreading it to others. A person can get thrush by spreading the yeast from their hands to their dentures. And a person with dentures may spread the yeast by handling their dentures and then contaminating an object that another person touches or puts into his or her mouth.