Child with thrush, where can I get treatment today??

[dinosandprincesses]

DD (5) has thrush, says her bottom is really itchy and it's hurting when she pees. Obviously need to try and get her some cream (is it cream they use for little ones??). Can you get it over the counter for children?

From what I've read online it says it needs to be prescribed but given Gp surgery's are closed, 111 isn't picking up calls and when you do get through they say it can take 48 hours for a call back, what is my best option today? Can pharmacists prescribe treatment for a child?

Right now I’d get in line on 111, then I’d plan to ring a chemist at 9am.

Any chance it’s a UTI, or does it look like thrush ?

You can buy Canestan from a pharmacy but talk to a pharmacist about it

You can get it OTC but I doubt they’ll ask you who it is for (and if they do say you!).

Or if you can’t get to a pharmacist some supermarkets/Superdrug/home bargains sell athletes foot cream with the same active ingredient (clotrimazole 1%) which I’ve used before.

I remember using thrush cream on my daughter when she was in nappies so I'm sure you can get some over the counter.

Most pharmacists in shops can't prescribe anything. They can recommend over the counter treatment for sale. It (canestan or clotrimazole cream) is only licensed for sale for nappy rash in children, and should be prescribed.

I'm 99% sure it's thrush. Unfortunately I think she's caught it from me as we shared a towel (I know, I know, I should never admit to this on Mn) once this week before I realised I also had it. Obviously I never would have shared it with her had I known but my dryer packed in earlier in the week and it meant I was on bare minimum towel levels until I got to my moms to use her dryer!

Thank you for all those recommending canestan, I wasn't sure if I could use it on a child but will go and get some today!

I’m not sure the chemist would sell it for a child, so you might have to say that it for you.

It won't harm her skin though will it? I'm worried if they won't prescribe it for a child then it may be too strong?

Thrush, or worms? Sounds like worms to me.

Pretty sure it's thrush, I have it regularly due to medication so know what it feels like, and the fact that we then shared a towel makes me think that's most likely what DD has not got too.

*now

Canesten do a 50g tube of 1% clotrimazole. It says on it can be used for fungal nappy rash. Can order online but maybe too late for that.

Ime you aren't even asked who it's for if you go in and buy thrush cream. It's an over the counter med not a prescription med that pharmacists are able to prescribe is it not?

My Dd went through a stage of what we thought initially was thrush but wasn’t (sorry I forget the name of what it actually was, but it was irritation around the vulva which caused a white discharge so looked like thrush) and vinegar baths were the only thing they helped Dd, maybe worth a try. I would sit Dd in for 20 mins or so.

( we did try 1% canestin but dd found it too irritating and it had to be washed straight off)

You'll be able to buy 1% clomotrizole in the supermarket or chemist, it might say it's for athletes foot. You can also buy the combi pessary and cream with has 2% cream at the supermarket too now.

I really wouldn't rule out worms though, more common than you'd think. I'd get some Ovex from thw chemist and check her bum (beat at night but you could try in the morning). Get her to bend over and see if you can see any. If so you need to treat the whole family. It's so itchy!!

You say it's her bottom that's itchy rather than the front?

I'm almost certain there is no age restrictions on clotrimazole cream. You can buy over the counter. Some areas of the country there is a service in the pharmacy where the pharmacist can give it for free, with a few mins consultation.

The pharmacy wouldn't give me anything over the counter for my DD 3 when she had it. Had to go to doctor for prescription. I don't know if usual caneston is too strong. I'll have a look at the cream I got for her and you can compare it to caneston to check. If it helps I used the metanium nappy rash cream before going to drs just to take the sting out which helped with the itch and redness.

I was given caneston when my son was about 1.5.

It was technically prescribed by the doctor but only because I'd taken him there first. When I picked it up it just looked like a regular tube.

He was fine and it didn't aggravate his skin.

What about the Boots pharmacy/GP service thing? My DSis had a UTI recently and got given 3 days of antibiotics in advance of seeing the GP. Think she paid £20 or something.

Now I'm more confused. I asked to DD to point to where it is itchy and she pointed to her anus, I've just had a look and she's got a big, dark red circular rash around it. Looks very painful but she just says it's itchy not sore. Would this be thrush??

My dd6 was prescribed 1% canastan rather than the usual 2%. Although if they won't give you for her without prescription, I'd use the 2% on her until I could get a prescription. I wouldn't let it get any worse, it can be very sore and uncomfortable.

Clotrimizole 1% is listed in the bnf for children so if you can’t get official advice I’d have thought safe to use sparingly to provide relief

bnfc.nice.org.uk/drugs/clotrimazole/