Advice needed - ds mouth so sore

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Ok, my son has just turned one.

My son has not eaten now for 3 days, he refuses to put food anywhere near his mouth. He also screams everytime he takes a drink. He is up all night and day in agony, and had been for the last few nights.

First doctor says teething as his molars are coming through.

I then spot something white on his tongue so take back to see dr.

Same dr then says tonsillitis (sp?) and gives him penicillin. He has been on the antibiotics for over 24 hrs now, and I think he is getting worse. His tongue is white and I can see little sores on his tongue.

Have no idea what this is? Is this really tonisllitis? I can't get the antibiotics sown him, he screams so much in pain. He is on calpol, ibruprofen, nothing helps the pain?

Did any of these doctors rub something on your DS's tongue/throat and do a quick test to see if it is bacterial or viral?

DD (2.9) had this two weeks ago. First the tongue went all white, and then the insides of her cheeks sported huge sores. She also had a fever for a day or two.

Doctor did a quick swipe & test and said it was viral, called herpangina. Prescribed paracetamol, alternated by ibuprofen if fever returned.

My DS1 had something similar when he was about 4. Apparently it was a fungal infection. He needed 2 lots of antibiotics. I would try to get him to the doctors again to see what they think.
He was in alot of pain and eating was impossible.

could be thrush but better to dr or dentist to diagnose . Is he due a check up with the dentist? if so take him there asap, s/he will probably be able to make diagnosis on the spot and prescribe whatever is necessary. Thrush tends to look like a white almost cheesey patch with a very red angy patch underneath if the white is rubbed off. Antibiotics can but not always exacerbate the problem as they wipe out the oral/gut flora which fight the fungo that cause thrush. It could even be something viral which abs wouldnt touch. Has any other parents had similar problems? A common oral condition in kids is hand foot and mouth , not related to the bovine condition of similar name but spreads like billy whizz through playgroups etc. let us know how u get on

Antibiotics don't treat fungal infections!

I,d still keep going with the abs, betterto finish the course,also alternate calpol and nurofen, and offer lots of cooled boiled water. It might seem like the painkillers arent working but they will be making some difference

CoteDAzur - his symptoms seem to be explained by the herpangina - so it could be that? I am thinking thrush, so am worried he is on antibiotics as this will make it worse surely?

I'm going to take him back to the dr tomorrow again just to be sure, as they haven't really taken any notice of his tongue.

Is he ok to not eat for days? I keep offering him different foods (not forcing as he self feeds) but he won't even look at them.

I am just upset to see him like this, he spent his 1st birthday in agony , and he loves his food normally...

Thanks for all your advice!

CoteDAzur is right, abs are not usually prescribed for fungal infections, if it is thrush it will need antifungals, BUT you dont know what it is and are better keeping up withe the abs prescribed incase it is bacterial. Hope this is clear(wink)

DD got a fungal infection right after herpangina (easily treated by anti-fungal syrup).

Fungus looked like a flat, round, white coin on the inside of her cheek. It wasn't as painful as the herpangina for her. She said it was painful, didn't want to eat much, but would still smile and play.

I couldn't see the herpangina at first (it was at back of her mouth) but after the first few days, it looked like huge sores inside her cheeks. One side almost looked like urticaria in the mouth

Take your DS to hospital tomorrow and insist on a test. It takes two minutes and they should be able to see for sure if it is bacterial (continue with antibiotics) or viral (stop antibiotics, throw box at doctor who prescribed them, and keep fingers crossed your DS doesn't get fungal infection afterwards).

I'm sorry to be nitpicking, but for the record:

"abs are not usually prescribed for fungal infections" is not correct. Antibiotics are NEVER prescribed for fungal infections, because they don't kill fungi. If anything, they HELP fungal growth, because (as pourmeabigone previously said) they kill all bacteria, including those that fight fungi.

If we are being nit picky Candeptin (Candicidin) is an antifungal ANTIBIOTIC that is used to treat vaginal and oral thrush (fungal). It is made from the streptomycin strain
see~: www.nutrition4health.org/nohanews/NNS95OralYeastInfections.htm

Will he not eat a very cold yoghurt? I know it kills hte 'fire' in a hot curry and cools sunburn of you apply it. Also good for thrush and calms mouth ulcers. Could this be worth a go ? Maybe if you froze it in lollies he would give it a go til the doc has sorted him out.
I had thrush in my mouth when on I/v anti bio's and consumed a yoghurt lake as I couldn't do anything lumpy or salty etc.

pourmeabigone - Thanks for that. I didn't realize there were now an antifungal antibiotic out there. We were taught at school that antibiotics were 'antimicrobial compounds'.

As well as yoghurt, you can also try ice cream. Doctor told us it would ease with DD's pain and would help get something in her.

When she didn't even eat chocolate ice cream, I knew we were in trouble.

Well saw a lovely dr and he said it is Thrush. He prescribed a treatment, told me to throw the antibiotics away. I had a good look in his mouth at drs and it was covered in ulcers and sores - ouch!!

My son is looking so much better and has started to eat again.

Thanks so much for all your replies.