Often in a newborn child, parents accidentally discover a white coating on the tongue.
Normally, the baby’s tongue is pink, moist, clean and shiny, the papillae are evenly spaced with a velvety surface. Therefore, if a white coating is found in the language of a newborn, the reasons are different, and they need to be known in order to navigate in further actions and successfully cope with the problem.
Several reasons for the appearance of white plaque in the tongue of a newborn
The main causes of white plaque in the tongue of a newborn can be physiological and pathological. In most cases, plaque formation comes from breast milk. With artificial feeding, white coating is the remnants of the mixture after feeding the newborn. In these cases, do not worry: the child is healthy, natural plaque.
Another cause may be thrush - candidal stomatitis, which is a pathology and requires attention and treatment.
White plaque in the tongue of the newborn after feeding
White plaque that occurs after breastfeeding persists for some time - usually up to 20 minutes, then disappears. It is present only in language; on the other mucous membranes it is not. If a child is given a few spoons of water, the plaque disappears and is "washed off". It does not cause any inconvenience to the child, and if you carefully examine the tongue, you can see how the pink tongue appears through a uniform coating. To prevent such plaque from becoming a breeding ground for the fungus, it is necessary to give the newborn a little water for the prevention of milk to remove residual milk.
A similar white coating on the tongue in a newborn is found during artificial feeding after the mixture. When using some mixtures, plaque appears not only in the tongue, but also on the gums, cheeks and palate. It is harmless to the child, is located on the tongue in an even layer, translucent, is also easily washed off with water and does not require a pediatrician's advice.
White plaque in the tongue of the newborn: thrush
But there is still a cause of plaque - thrush (candidal stomatitis). The causative agent is fungi of the genus Candida. They are located on the mucous membranes and skin of almost everyone, but candidiasis develops only in cases of reduced immunity. In a newborn, immunity is not yet formed, so it can be infected through a toy, a pacifier, most often from the mother during childbirth or after birth. Candidiasis - often occurs in children under six months of age.
A distinctive feature of candidiasis in children is the formation of a white coating on the tongue of the newborn, as well as its spread on the inner surface of the cheeks and gums. It has the appearance of a curd mass (in advanced cases), covering the tongue, gums and cheeks both completely and in separate sections. The coating is opaque, when you try to remove it with marlka or cotton wool, it is difficult to separate, leaving a red or bleeding mucosa. The newborn is anxious, capricious, may refuse to feed, because the process itself causes pain and discomfort.
Thrush in a newborn: treatment at home and prevention
You need to understand the causes of white plaque in the tongue of a newborn with thrush in order to know how to avoid this. Since fungi are present in the body almost from birth, thrush can occur under certain conditions. In addition to immature immunity, the development of candidiasis is also facilitated by hot dry air in the child’s room, frequent spitting up, and a small amount of fluid in the child’s body.
Accordingly, it is necessary to create comfortable conditions in the child’s room so that it is not hot and the air is not dry: air humidity should be 50 - 70%. If possible, you can use a humidifier. Then the mucous membranes of the child will not dry out and retain their protective functions.
It is imperative to give water to the baby after feeding, especially in the heat. It is also necessary to give a little water after each regurgitation.
White plaque in the tongue of the newborn: prevention of thrush
Treatment of thrush should be started immediately after its discovery, otherwise the child will begin to abandon the chest and lose weight.
The most effective way to treat and prevent white plaque in the tongue in a newborn associated with thrush is to wipe the mucous membranes of the mouth with a soda solution using a swab or gauze. Mushrooms cannot breed in an alkaline environment. A solution is prepared in the ratio: a teaspoon of soda to 200 ml of water. It is not necessary to wipe more than 4 - 5 times a day, so as not to kill another (useful) microflora, which will lead to the final loss of immunity in the child. In no case should you forcefully remove or scrape off the plaque so as not to damage the mucous membrane strongly. A solution of soda can also handle nipples, soothers, a bottle, and breasts before feeding.
The folk treatment method is honey solutionprepared in the ratio: 1 teaspoon of honey to 2 teaspoons of water. They also wipe the affected areas on the mucosa, but do this with extreme caution so as not to get a severe allergy to honey.
This is a treatment of a mild form of thrush, which is prescribed by a doctor, but it can be carried out at home. Within a week, the mild form is effectively cured.
If there is no effect from these methods, with a severe form of thrush, they are prescribed antifungal agents, immunostimulants, vitamins. As a rule, antimycotic agents are used: Diflucan solution, Candide, Fluconazole or nystatin ointment. They can be used only as prescribed by the doctor, clearly adhering to these instructions, since antifungal drugs have a number of contraindications and complications. With self-administration, they can harm the child. The 5% borax solution previously used to treat thrush is now banned due to its toxicity. In addition to antifungal drugs, B vitamins, multivitamins are prescribed.
To treat one child if thrush is detected does not make sense, because there will be a constant re-infection from the mother. Therefore, treatment is prescribed for both the newborn and the mother at the same time. Nursing mothers should carefully monitor the nipples and pay attention to any changes: itching, redness, peeling, discharge.
Other reasons
In addition to thrush, there are several more reasons for the formation of a white coating in the language of the newborn, which should be noted:
- violations in the functioning of the digestive tract (constipation, dysbiosis - after antibiotic treatment, the use of inappropriate products);
- viral stomatitis - it accompanies childhood infections: chickenpox, measles, scarlet fever;
- hypovitaminosis (vitamin deficiency);
- anemia;
- diabetes;
- allergies that occur after taking antibiotics;
- some other diseases (tonsillitis).
Infectious diseases are manifested by signs characteristic of a particular pathogen, high fever, intoxication. In these cases, you must consult a doctor, because self-medication can aggravate the situation. In addition, hospitalization may sometimes be required, given the severity of the condition.
When detecting diseases of the digestive system in a newborn, it is necessary to treat the underlying disease. Plaque on the tongue disappears after treatment. In such cases, it is necessary to delay the introduction of complementary foods, exclude products that are not appropriate for the age from the child’s diet, and adjust the food by the clock.
What to do to avoid white plaque in the tongue of the newborn
For prevention, it is necessary:
- wash hands before any communication with the newborn;
- thoroughly boil everything that enters the baby’s mouth: nipples, soothers, a bottle;
- the child needs individual dishes, which need to be washed well;
- before feeding, treat nipples and nipple circles with soda solution;
- Do not kiss the child on the lips, so as not to pass the fungus and a bunch of bacteria and viruses.
If, nevertheless, a plaque in the tongue of the newborn is revealed, one should not panic: one needs to determine whether the plaque is a thrush. Even with confirmation of suspicions with timely response and treatment, the yeast infection passes quickly and does not further disturb the baby. And most importantly - do not self-medicate, be sure to consult a pediatrician to avoid complications.
