Yeast infection in babies and its remedy

One of the common infections know to occur in adult women can irritate your little ones too. Yeast infection in babies is common but sometimes very hard to determine because of the inability of toddlers to communicate about the problem. In this article let us understand yeast infection causes, its nature, symptoms, and possible remedies.

Table of Contents

What is Yeast infection in babies?

All human beings have a harmless amount of a yeast called Candida. If due to some reason its growth gets out of control, Yeast infection is bound to occur. It can happen to adults too but small babies are more susceptible to it.

Areas where it could happen

Warm and moist places are a perfect environment for Candida’s growth. Therefore skin folds in toddlers are more prone to the infection. Meanwhile, the most commonly found areas of yeast infection are:

Diaper area
Mouth
Armpits
Neck

Are diaper rash and yeast infection the same?

Though physically both infections are hard to distinguish, they are totally different. Diapers are a significant cause of rashes. Parents still hesitate to use diapers for babies because of this. Following are the major differences between the two:

Yeast Infection	Diaper Rash
Painful	Not painful
Occurs in folds	Occurs in plain surface
Can occur in mouth with thrush infection	Occurs only in diaper area
Can spread	Localized
Doesn’t respond to diaper rash creams	Cured by diaper rash creams

Symptoms of yeast infection

Reddish skin with scattered pimples, listers, and ulcers filled with pus
Lasts longer than two days
Doesn’t respond to diaper rash creams
Well defined bright red raised borders
Found generally in the skin folds
It has scales
It has additional irritation around the main infected area
Itching and burning
Thrush: White patches in the tongue and inside the mouth. It can often be confused with milk or formula and often gets ignores
Cracks at the corner of the mouth
Loss of appetite due to thrush

Prevention and remedies

Prevention is the key remedy for yeast infection. Follow the steps shown below to avoid this infection.

Change the diaper every 4 hours, even if the baby has not soiled it
Use diapers with fill indicators
Pat the diaper area dry and let it air dry
Avoid using wipes having perfumes or alcohol
Use diapers of the correct size. They should not be tight
Keep the baby sweat-free
Do not use talcum in the diaper area
If you use cloth diapers, do not cover it with elastic pants
Wash the cloth diapers properly for reuse
Meanwhile, allow for some diaper-free time for the baby
Maintain proper hygiene
Sterilize pacifiers and nipples before use
Sterilize teethers before giving them to babies

Consult your pediatrician

If after following the preventive steps, the infection still occurs, consult your child’s doctor. Look for the following symptoms:

Spreading of infection
Deepening of red sores
Increased irritation
Fluids oozing from pimples
Newer symptoms

Home remedy

Apple cider vinegar bath
Spread garlic paste over the affected area of skin.
Clean the affected area with tea tree oil
An oatmeal bath can help to ease the symptoms of a yeast infection