What is thrush?
Thrush is a yeast infection predominantly produced by
What are the signs or symptoms?
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White patches on the insides of cheeks and on the gums and tongue
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Usually causes no other signs or symptoms
What are the incubation and contagious periods?
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Incubation period: Unknown.
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Contagious period: The yeast that causes thrush normally lives on the skin, in the mouth, and in stool. Mild infection of the lining of the mouth is common in healthy infants. Thrush can occur during or after antibiotic use. Repetitive or severe thrush could signal immune problems.
How is it spread?
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C albicans is present in the intestinal tract and mucous membranes of healthy people. -
A warm, moist environment (eg, mouth) fosters growth and spread.
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Person-to-person transmission (although very rare) may occur from a mother to her baby when the mother has a vaginal yeast infection and from breastfeeding babies to their mothers when babies with thrush infect their mothers’ nipples.
How do you control it?
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Use good hand-hygiene technique at all the times listed in Chapter 2 of
Managing Infectious Diseases in Child Care and Schools: A Quick Reference Guide, 7th Edition . -
Treat infected individuals.
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Wash and sanitize mouthed toys, bottle nipples, and utensils and do not let other children use them before sanitizing. Do not allow sharing of mouthed objects between children without first washing and sanitizing them.
Thrush (
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What are the roles of the educator and the family?
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Report the infection to the staff member designated by the early childhood education program or school for decision-making and action related to care of ill children. That person, in turn, alerts the parents/guardians for treatment of the child.
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Administer prescribed medication as instructed by the child’s health professional.
Exclude from educational setting?
No.
Disclaimer
Adapted from
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists, and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety, and well-being of all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.
Any websites, brand names, products, or manufacturers are mentioned for informational and identification purposes only and do not imply an endorsement by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The AAP is not responsible for the content of external resources. Information was current at the time of publication. The information contained in this publication should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.
