thrush query...

[asur]

I'm just curious about this - it's not my DS (touch wood!) but a friend of a friend has a LO with a nappy rash that wouldn't clear up. She had it a couple of months back and the GP said it was a fungal infection and gave some cream. That didn't really work but the rash eventually went away. Baby has loads of nappy free time, nappy changed as soon as it's dirty etc but rash comes back every so often. The mum has had a little pain in nipples but not much and only after baby has had a few long feeds.

Anyway, rash is back and hasn't cleared up with all the usual creams so she got thinking about it and thought it might be thrush that she and baby have been passing it back and forward to each other. She went to GP who said it is likely to be thrush on baby so gave cream for that. He said that because mum doesn't have any symptoms it isn't worth treating her but gave her a cream to put on nipples to stop infection from baby.

Does this seem right? I don't really know much about it but shouldn't the mother have proper treatment? Wouldn't she need fluconazole or would she only need this if she was showing symptoms?

I'm just really curious about it as I thought she would more than likely have it even if not showing symptoms and therefore should get treated to avoid them continueing to reinfect each other. Maybe GP is right though... Also, would her DH need treated too? or would that only be if she had thrush elswhere?

TIA

[Emprexia]

I know from a Breastfeeding forum i'm part of that sometimes mom wont show symptoms if she has Thrush on her nipples, but its a good chance if she's getting some pain and has a good latch that its Thrush that she has.
She should be treated too, there is little point in treating baby if she is just going to re-infect him/her

[hairymclary]

most gp's will prescribe a cream to apply before they give fluconazole, so that is totally normal.
If she had thrush she'd know about it, and I don't think that thrush in nappy region is necessarily related to thrush in baby's mouth iyswim

[flowerypants]

DD and I were both treated, I was given an pill and had a cream to apply to DD. It sounds quite similar as she had a rash that just didn't go away and then got worse. I had sharp pains in my boobs but no physical signs. It cleared up instantly.

[Tatties]

Ds and I had thrush - my symptom was very sore nipples. I was given cream (then flucanazole) and ds was given oral drops. Within days of the treatment ds's persistent nappy rash cleared up. I had no idea it could have been a symptom of thrush. I would say they both need treating, maybe the cream will be sufficient for that but she'll need to bear in mind the other treatments if it doesn't clear up. Some great info here

[laundrylover]

I started a thrush thread a few weeks ago and someone advised Grapefruit Seed Extract which you use diluted on nipples. This is the only thing that has got me thrush free after a couple of months of agony (full course on Flucon failed) and see no reason not to use it on a baby's bum either. White vinegar (diluted) seems to have the same effect.

[asur]

thank you for all your replies and sorry for taking so long to thank you (DS had cold which he passed on to me then to DH - the joys of parenting, eh! )

all the info is good, must try to remember it although I just keep hoping that we won't get thrush. And thanks Tatties for that link - I've been to that site before but couldn't remember the name so wasn't able to find it again - have now added to my bookmarks though!

Thanks!