Mouth infections in children

A herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV 1) infection happens when the virus gets inside your child’s mouth. This is the primary infection. The virus might then lie asleep in the body (in the nerves of the skin). If it’s triggered again, it can cause cold Wounds on your child’s lips. Your child might complain of a sore mouth. His lips, gums and throat might also be sore. Younger children might simply refuse food or drink, and drool a lot. The lining of your child’s mouth might be swollen and red, and you might be able to see lots of tiny blisters or ulcers. Your child might be irritable and cry a lot, and might also have a fever and swollen neck glands. 

These infections usually clear up within 7-10 days. The major complication of herpes mouth infections is poor fluid intake. This is because your child’s sore mouth makes swallowing painful and difficult. Thrush is an infection of the mouth caused by the candida fungus, also known as yeast. Candida infection is not limited to the mouth; it can occur in other parts of the body as well, causing diaper rash in infants or vaginal yeast infections in women.

Small amounts of the candida fungus are present in the mouth, digestive tract, and skin of most healthy people and are normally kept in check by other bacteria and microorganisms in the body. However, certain illnesses, stress, or medications can disturb the delicate balance, causing the fungus candida to grow out of control, causing thrush. 

A common sign of thrush is the presence of creamy white, slightly raised lesions in your mouth - usually on your tongue or inner cheeks - but also sometimes on the roof of your mouth, gums, tonsils, or back of your throat. The lesions, which may have a "cottage cheese" appearance, can be painful and may bleed slightly when you scrape them or brush your teeth. In severe cases, the lesions may spread into your esophagus, or swallowing tube, causing:

• Pain or difficulty swallowing
• A feeling that food gets stuck in the throat or mid-chest area
• Fever, if the infection spreads beyond the esophagus

Thrush that extends into your esophagus may require other tests to make the diagnosis. Such tests might include taking a throat culture (swabbing the back of your throat with sterile cotton and studying the microorganisms under a microscope), performing an endoscopy of your esophagus, stomach, and small intestine (examining the lining of these body areas with a lighted camera mounted on the tip of a tube passed through these areas), or taking X-rays of your esophagus.

Baby Care Topics: Feeding your baby|What should my baby wear? | Bathing and Washing your Baby | Overcoming sleeping problems in your baby

Your Baby's First Year: Week by Week