Constant yeast infection in 3 yr old - Children's Health Message Board

camden · 06-30-2003, 11:42 AM

My 3 yr old daughter has had a yeast infection since she potty trained at the age of two. I have had her to the doctor twice and was given a cream and a medicine. After it didn't clear up the first time I took her back and was given a double dose of the medicine(nilstat) and more cream. The doctor said that some children are more prone to these infections that others and sometimes they just have to grow out of them.

The rash comes and goes and is an oval shape that circles from the top of her vagina down around her anus. I know that it is a fungal infection(looks like ring worm) as is a yeast infection, but I was wondering if this sounds like a yeast infection or a different fungal infection. There doesn't seem to be any discharge or odd smell and the doctor only looked at it, he did not do a swab. The rash always seemed to be more painful than itchy but she has recently been complaining that it is itching.

I am also wondering kind of cream I should be using. I still have the prescription cream but don't like to use it as it is not getting rid of the rash, only relieving it a little. Should I use vaseline, powder, diaper rash cream or something evertime she goes to the bathroom. I hate to make her tell me everytime she has to go but if I have to do it to get rid of the rash I will. Should I take her to a different doctor or will she grow out of it.

I don't use bubble baths and after I wash her in the tub I rinse it out before filling it to let her play(I know some of you don't think she should sit in a tub at all but I know she won't shower and I don't have a removable shower head and I find that the soak in the tub actually relieves the rash quite a bit). I use Tide Free which must be fairly mild as it is unscented and has helped with her eczema. I know that she should eat yogurt but she hates it to the point that she will gag on it.

Any suggesions would be greatly appreciated and taken into consideration as I do not know what to do anymore!

Mom24boys · 06-30-2003, 03:27 PM

I always eat yogurt for my yeast infections. MOST work but they have to say "Contains Live cultures" on the container. You can also use Acidolphulus. It is what kills the yeast. Let her eat lots of yogurt and see if that helps. I HATE yeast infections.
GinaMarie

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GinaMarie (have BCCNS, GERD and more) have 4 boys (2 have BCCNS also)

HeyThere · 06-30-2003, 10:54 PM

Hi, has the doctor actually swabbed the area and had it tested- could it be bacterial. Anyway mine got a yeast problem for two days after antibiotics. I wiped the area myself in every crevice then applied balmex lightly the second day was not bad as the balmex which has a little zinc in it helped. The second day I had some betadine $15.000 a bottle at the drugstore it is the same stuff doctors use to kill any bacteria before surgery it is a deep orange color. A tiny amount goes along way and should be used very very very sparingly if using around the privates. Showered and soaped and rinsed her. So i dabbed a litttle on a toilet paper square and put it on/around any affected area and poof the next day all gone. Just remember less is best and it will sting a bit do not I repeat do not use a cotton ball or q-tip with this stuff on it because it will leak into the private and that is a big mistake .Keep it on the surface of the skin never internal. That betadine should be kept way out of reach too.

mlgable · 06-30-2003, 11:56 PM

Tide free is still a pretty harsh detergent to be using even though it says it not harsh. Use something like dreft or Ivory Snow or take the time to buy an enviromentally friendly laundry detergent. Since she doesn't like yogurt you can buy acidophillis sprinkles to mix in with things like ice cream and applesauce. be sure she is drying well after urinating and after a bath etc. Do not use powders or vaseline as this will only keep the area moist and yeast tends to thrive in a warm moist enviroment. Since she is young I assume she has only 100% cotton underwear and she should not sleep in the underwear to give her perineal area breathing room at night. A nightgown with no underwear once in bed would be ideal. Also with yeast there is usually a tell take odor like fresh baking bread. If you are not positive it is yeast take her back to the doc and have him culture the area this time. You can also try mixing a couple of drops of tea tree oil into the yeast infection cream to help clear things up.

tgnash · 07-09-2003, 05:08 PM

I have spoken with some people that have suffered from candida their entire life. They tried a product that helped their own bodies to solve the problem that antibiotics could not. The product was a glutathione precursor that is prepared with enzymes that have been added for maximum efficacy. It has only been out since September 2002; however, the studies on GSH have been continuous since the 70's. Up until recently hospitals have utilized an IV called N-acetylcysteine or NAC.

Your daughter won't eat yogurt but maybe she will drink this mix when it has been shaken with her favorite juice.

Good luck!