Yeast infection in girls...

[Bess]

What is the best thing to treat this (minus going to the dr. and using anti-fungal cream)? We have been giving plain yogurt (Stonyfield) and having her sit in apple-cider vinegar baths. Hasn't nipped it yet though.

[abbeyej]

Personally, I wouldn't do the vinegar baths at all. That could do just the opposite of what you want. You could, however, use some of the same plain yogurt as a topical cream. (Cut up clean washcloths as temporary panty liners.)

 

Garlic can be very helpful too. Fresh is best, but if she can swallow pills, you may be able to get more into her that way.

[HeatherInWI]

I'd also suggest going sugar-free until it's well gone. Fungal things seem to disappear more quickly on a no-sugar/juice/dried fruit and lower carb diet.

[Bess]

Personally, I wouldn't do the vinegar baths at all. That could do just the opposite of what you want. QUOTE]

 

Oh really? I read to do that online. Oops.

[LaxMom]

Actually, raw garlic as a suppository works well. Whole clove, slightly bruised (no so much that it doesn't hold together), and you can run a piece of string through it with a needle for easier retrieval.

 

Have you addressed the cause, as well?

[abbeyej]

I agree with your suggestion, Angela, for an adult -- but I can't see using it with a young girl...

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

I highly recommend acidophilus. I just use whatever I can find at Wal-mart and take 1-2 tablets at every meal. It works great for me.

[LaxMom]

I agree with your suggestion, Angela, for an adult -- but I can't see using it with a young girl...

Good point. How young are we talking? I assumed from the acv sitz baths that she is at least a young teen?

 

If she's younger, I would mince the garlic in the yogurt as a topical, and perhaps add a drop or two of lavender and tea tree essential oils, if it's particularly tenacious. I made a salve with those three when the boys were infants and weirdly prone to yeast diaper rash. The combination (garlic, lavender, tea tree) works great.

[MIch elle]

I highly recommend acidophilus. I just use whatever I can find at Wal-mart and take 1-2 tablets at every meal. It works great for me.

 

:iagree: Acidophilus is good.

 

GNC, Walmart and any good drug store should have it.

[Bess]

 

Have you addressed the cause, as well?

 

antibiotics. Oh, and she is only 6.

[mom4him]

antibiotics. Oh, and she is only 6.

I would not do this unless it is extreme. Antibiotics can further cause her body to get out of balance with good and bad bact. as the antib. kill all not just the bad.

We have fought yeast with our youngest son. Getting rid of all sugars except for small amounts of honey if need be, all grains and peanut products. We had taken the sugars and grains out of our diet and we still fought yeast with him. Not as bad but still there. We removed peanut butter and WALLAH! The yeast infection was gone.

The Acidophiles is also VERY important in getting good bacteria back in her system.

[gardening momma]

I would not do this unless it is extreme. Antibiotics can further cause her body to get out of balance with good and bad bact. as the antib. kill all not just the bad.

 

I think she was saying that antibiotics was the cause of the yeast? It was probably being taken for something else.

[wildflower]

Yes, Probiotics a are must. Buy the best stuff you can find from your local health food store, there are huge differences in grade. If it is not refrigerated it is not active. Do not take it with citrus.

Take a panty liner, put some witch hazel on it with tea tree and lavender oil- it should do the trick.

yogurt, I've been told, only works topically.

Hope she's rid of it soon, poor kid.

[Bess]

I think she was saying that antibiotics was the cause of the yeast? It was probably being taken for something else.

 

Yes, that's right. She had strep, so antibiotics was neccessary. The first time she's ever been on them! And the first time for a yeast infection...

[Bess]

Yes, Probiotics a are must. Buy the best stuff you can find from your local health food store, there are huge differences in grade. If it is not refrigerated it is not active. Do not take it with citrus.

Take a panty liner, put some witch hazel on it with tea tree and lavender oil- it should do the trick.

yogurt, I've been told, only works topically.

Hope she's rid of it soon, poor kid.

 

Oh yes! I forgot to mention we have her taking probiotics too. But it's not refrigerated. Hmm.

[Peela]

Keep her away from sugar and bread for a while. (bread having yeast in it and sugar feeding the yeast). Usually, a person will crave food that feeds the yeast.

I don't see a problem with the vinegar. Yoghurt, tea tree oil, and garlic are also effective, but in the end, you need to treat the whole body, not just the local area. It may take some time though.

A friend recently phoned me asking about pin worms for her daughter- she had discovered she had them when treating a vaginal infection- apparently pin worms can also cause the vaginal infection, so check for them.

[Mandamom]

Oh yes! I forgot to mention we have her taking probiotics too. But it's not refrigerated. Hmm.

 

 

There are a lot of brands now that don't have to be refrigerated. When I first started taking probiotics 7 years ago only the best probiotics were refrigerated.

 

Nowadays companies are making probiotics that don't necessarily have to be refrigerated and are still very good products. So, read the label and make sure that you are choosing a good product.

 

Since she has a current infection now (and I'm assuming is very uncomfortable) I would increase her probiotic dose to a couple at each meal depending on the strength of the product you are currently using. You don't want to increase dose a lot but a couple at each meal might allow the gut to re-balance itself quicker.

 

If you kill off the yeast too quickly though you might see some die-off symptoms (headache, worsening of yeast infection until die-off complete, constipation from the elimination of the yeast, etc.) Actually, since I'm prone to yeast issues I force myself into die-off so that I can clear the yeast faster; by now, though I know what is normal and what isn't.

 

I would also keep in mind that you might have to go long-term on the maintenance probiotic unless you kill of the yeast faster due to diet change, anti-fungal medication or increasing the probiotics. It might take a while to get rid of it if it is severe.

[LaxMom]

antibiotics. Oh, and she is only 6.

Oh, yes, then I would definitely go the topical route with the yogurt, garlic, tea tree, etc.

 

I'll also go ahead and be the voice of dissent here: I don't think antibiotic related yeast infections really need the whole dietary elimination approach. This isn't a chronic imbalance of flora; the balance was disturbed by taking antibiotics and once they clear her system, with a little probiotic support and addressing the yeast, the balance should return naturally. Obviously, if this continues for quite a while, or spreads, I would keep that in my bag of tricks, but I wouldn't take it as an initial approach. Know what I mean?

[5Youngs]

I imagine that a garlic suppository might traumatize her for life~:confused:

 

The only thing that works for me is d-mannose, whether a uti or a yeast infection.

It is clinically proven to be the only way of getting rid of it and not making any future outbreaks even worse.

 

I use UT Vibrance, but any d-mannose would be just fine.

(google it or call your local health food store)

My neighbor used it with her 7 yr old daughter, while waiting to get into the dr's office, and the burning was gone within an hour.

I take a dose every 15 minutes for the first hour, and then take as directed for the remaining days.

It knocks the burning out FAST~

Just keep taking it for the week or so that is suggested, even though she'll feel fine the first day.

You must rid your body of all the yuckies, so it doesn't come back~

Hope this helps!

[5Youngs]

Oh, yes, then I would definitely go the topical route with the yogurt, garlic, tea tree, etc.

 

I'll also go ahead and be the voice of dissent here: I don't think antibiotic related yeast infections really need the whole dietary elimination approach. This isn't a chronic imbalance of flora; the balance was disturbed by taking antibiotics and once they clear her system, with a little probiotic support and addressing the yeast, the balance should return naturally. Obviously, if this continues for quite a while, or spreads, I would keep that in my bag of tricks, but I wouldn't take it as an initial approach. Know what I mean?

 

I agree.

Unless it's a chronic condition, address it and carry on as usual.

We all have our immune weaknesses.

Some get colds, flu, etc. every time they are ill.

Hers may be uti.

It's not the end of the world; just find something that works and keep it in your cupboard to address it when it comes up.

There is NO need to wait for weeks for relief; d-mannose will end her suffering~

[Elizabeth Conley]

Unless this is a chronic problem, treat it and go back to life as usual. There's no reason why you must change her lifestyle to solve this one-time problem.

 

Yeast infections are miserable conditions, and can lead to a very raw private region and even labial adhesions. They can also lead quickly to painful urinary tract infections. Please go ahead and get some soothing medicated ointment on that sensitive tissue right away. There are appropriate cremes next to the over-the-counter yeast infection products in the feminine hygiene section. (Benzocaine 5% , Resorcinol 2% ) Other than Hydrocortisone cream, I would be careful not to use anything thats not designed to be applied to this sensitive area of the body.

 

Keep the little bottom very dry. Running about in a nice long sundress with no panties for a day or so would be wise.

 

I recommend one cup of bleach added to about 3 inches of warm bathwater. Follow this with a moisturizing skin lotion everywhere except the little bottom, which should be dried thoroughly. Reduce her sugar and starch intake, and let her try the yogurt and assorted probiotics. Add a reduced sugar/no sugar cranberry juice to the treatment plan, and push fluids as much as possible. You want to keep the little urinary tract flushed out, because yeast loves to invade the urethra. Once it does the child becomes truly miserable.

 

If she's not significantly better in 3 days, take her to the doctor. If she gets worse, take her to the doctor.

Edited May 26, 2009 by Elizabeth Conley

[Gretchen in NJ]

I highly recommend acidophilus. I just use whatever I can find at Wal-mart and take 1-2 tablets at every meal. It works great for me.

 

I agree. Yogurt doesn't have enough acidophilus in it.

[Elizabeth Conley]

A word about yogurt and acidophilis milk:

 

Kids rarely like either plain. They can be blended together in a fruit smoothie with frozen strawberries and truvia. This concoction goes over very well with my two, one of whom is a picky eater. I'm afraid I'm rather casual about measurement. I use about a cup of plain, whole yogurt, a half cup of milk and several handfuls of strawberries. I use 3-4 packets of truvia. This is our favorite fast breakfast.

[Elizabeth Conley]

... and some little girls are deeply distressed by the idea of going without undies. A pair of boy's boxers is often an acceptable alternative. "Letting the air circulate down there" will make a big difference.

[Wyndie]

I recommend one cup of bleach added to about 3 inches of warm bathwater.

 

Are you recommending the child sit in diluted bleach water? I'm a little confused just trying to clear that up in my head. :)

[Elizabeth Conley]

"Are you recommending the child sit in diluted bleach water? I'm a little confused just trying to clear that up in my head. :) "

 

Shocking, I know. She shouldn't spend the day in it.

 

This treatment is amazingly effective against a very wide variety of contagious skin conditions, and some that are not. (eczema for one) Doing this will have a devastating effect on the yeast, radically reduce inflammation, dry the skin, and eliminate a wide variety of other unpleasant bacteria which may be participating in the party. It is nearly 100% curative for staph, a major cause of labial adhesions.

 

This is a cheap 3rd world treatment for a near universal set of conditions. It works. I wouldn't do it constantly, but I certainly count on it when I don't have the time or money to waste being ill.

Edited May 26, 2009 by Elizabeth Conley

[Wyndie]

Very interesting. Thank you for the explanation.

 

"Are you recommending the child sit in diluted bleach water? I'm a little confused just trying to clear that up in my head. :) "

 

Shocking, I know. She shouldn't spend the day in it.

 

This treatment is amazingly effective against a very wide variety of contagious skin conditions, and some that are not. (eczema for one) Doing this will have a devastating effect on the yeast, radically reduce inflammation, dry the skin, and eliminate a wide variety of other unpleasant bacteria which may be participating in the party. It is nearly 100% curative for staph, a major cause of labial adhesions.

 

This is a cheap 3rd world treatment for a near universal set of conditions. It works. I wouldn't do it constantly, but I certainly count on it when I don't have the time or money to waste being ill.

[scrapbookbuzz]

Drinking cranberry juice (yes, even the Ocean Spray sweetened kind) has ALWAYS helped me, from the time I was a child until now. Perhaps that would help?