Young mothers often come across questions for which they do not know the answer. And sometimes the most ordinary incident can cause a panic in an inexperienced woman. Such cases include the phenomenon of white plaque on the tongue in children.
Mom plays with the child, changes his diaper, he smiles sweetly at her, and then she sees him - a white coating. What does it mean? Should I panic and what should I do? We will answer these questions today.
White plaque in the tongue of an infant really deserves attention and is a symptom of a fungal disease - candidiasis, that is, thrush. How could infection happen? The first option is during childbirth or during a woman’s stay in the maternity hospital. But in most cases, white plaque in the tongue in children and thrush in a nursing mother are the result of postpartum hormonal changes in the body of a woman. During pregnancy, the body produces female sex hormones in large quantities - they are a limiting factor in the growth of unfavorable microflora, which includes candida fungi. In the postpartum period, the hormonal background returns to its previous state, and the risk of growth of fungal microflora increases.
When breastfeeding without treatment of the nipples, the causative agents of thrush penetrate the baby’s mouth - this is why a white coating on the tongue appears in the baby. Do not hesitate, contact your local pediatrician: he will dispel your fears or, on the contrary, confirm the diagnosis. Usually, the doctor prescribes a weak solution of baking soda to treat the baby's mouth. Mom, in turn, needs to visit a gynecologist and undergo treatment. Only a doctor should prescribe antifungal drugs, because they can penetrate into breast milk and harm the baby. Remove the focus of candidiasis in your body, and after a few days your baby’s tongue will again be pink and clean.
White plaque on the tongue in children is often a symptom of problems with the stomach and intestines. But in order to distinguish them from thrush, it is necessary to monitor the appearance of the layers and their nature.
White plaque in the tongue in children also comes from banal regurgitation, the cause of which is in violation of the stomach of the baby and weakness of the esophagus. In the first weeks of life, the inlet valve of the baby’s stomach is still quite weak, so the following rules must be observed when feeding:
- keep the baby "column", that is, upright for several minutes after feeding - this will help out the swallowed air;
- Do not overfeed the child;
- try not to put him to bed before a quarter of an hour after eating.
Pay attention to breast hygiene, if your baby is naturally fed and it is suspected that the cause of the plaque is candidiasis. Do not allow milk to leak in your underwear - put absorbent disposable pads into the bra . Before feeding, rinse your chest with a weak solution of baking soda in boiled water. After it, rinse the breast again and lubricate the nipples with a solution of glycerin. It is advisable to express the remaining milk if the feeding was complete.