Hi, I'm Cathy with Level Up RN. In this video, I will be discussing thrush, which is also known as candidiasis, and at the end of the video, I'm going to give you guys a little quiz to test your understanding of some of the key points I'll be covering, so definitely stay tuned for that. And if you have our Level Up RN pediatric nursing flashcards, go ahead and pull out your flashcard on thrush so you can follow along with me.
Thrush is an opportunistic infection caused by the fungus candida. So candida is normally present inside the body and on the skin, and it normally doesn't cause any problems. However, when the immune system is weakened or not fully developed, which is the case with infants, or when there is a disruption to the normal flora, then overgrowth of Candida can occur. A key risk factor for thrush is antibiotic use. So normally, your normal flora contains a bunch of different types of bacteria, and different types of fungi, and everybody's just chilling out and hanging out together. And then antibiotics come along and wipe out a bunch of the bacteria. And the candida are like, Whoa, there's all this extra space and nutrients. I can grow and multiply now. And they do, causing candidiasis.
Other risk factors include steroid use because it suppresses the child's immune system, as well as other medications or conditions that result in the child being immunocompromised. Signs and symptoms of oral thrush include yellow or white plaques on the tongue and mucous membranes that cannot be scraped off. Candida overgrowth can also occur in the diaper area, and cause a vaginal yeast infection. Signs and symptoms of thrush in this area include a red, painful, itchy rash with satellite lesions, as well as thick, white, cottage cheese discharge.
Treatment of thrush includes the administration of an antifungal agent, such as nystatin. So when treating thrush in an infant, you will need to paint the medication on the infant's tongue and mouth using a special sponge applicator. If the infant is breastfed, it's important to note that this infection can be passed back and forth between the infant and the breastfeeding mother, so both will need to be treated at the same time. For thrush in the diaper region, a topical antifungal cream is typically recommended. As the nurse, you should advise families to keep that area as dry as possible. So letting the baby go without a diaper periodically can be really helpful.
All right. It's quiz time, and I've got three questions for you.
Question number one. What type of medications increase the risk for the development of thrush?
The answer is antibiotics, as well as steroids, or other medications that suppress the immune system.
Question number two. How is thrush treated?
The answer is with an antifungal agent such as nystatin.
Question number three. What important teaching should be provided to a breastfeeding mother of a baby with oral thrush?
The answer is both mom and baby will need to be treated at the same time in order to prevent passing the infection back and forth.
All right. That's it for this video. I hope it was helpful. Thank you so much for watching.
