My baby’s oral thrush

My 5-month-old baby has been having oral thrush for the past few weeks. Kindly advise me on how to handle this.

Ibukun (by SMS)

Oral thrush, also known as oral candidiasis, is a fungal infection that can affect the mouth. Symptoms include a white or yellow buildup on the tongue, an unpleasant taste, and discomfort. Oral thrush is a fungal infection that develops on the mucous membranes of the mouth. Common symptoms of oral thrush include thick, white, or cream-colored spots on the mucous membrane. These spots may be raised and can cause some pain and discomfort.

Oral thrush in babies presents as a white coating on the tongue that resembles cottage cheese which you may not be able to rub off easily. However, when scrapped off, the may leave a red area in the mouth. Doctors can treat oral thrush with antifungal topical oral suspensions with a dropper that you can use to apply the medicine on the affected areas after feeds. In addition to the drugs, diluted baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) may also combat the symptoms of thrush.

Dissolve a half teaspoon of baking soda in 1 cup of warm water, and apply to your child’s thrush with a cotton swab. You can also apply the paste on your nipples before breastfeeding (just wipe off before your baby latches).