What to feed a child with stomatitis?

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Stomatitis is an inflammation of the oral mucosa. Most often it occurs in infants and preschool children. The main cause of the disease is weak immunity. Pathogenic microorganisms enter the oral cavity through dirty hands, objects, and unwashed food. In addition, stomatitis can be viral or herpetic. Infection occurs by airborne droplets. Treatment is selected depending on the type of disease and clinical picture. Many of our readers ask whether it is possible to breathe with an inhaler if you have stomatitis.

What is a disease

Stomatitis is considered a lesion of the oral mucosa.

The reasons for the development of this pathology are:

• infection by infections (viruses, bacteria, fungi);
• medicines;
• autoimmune processes.

Children develop painful ulcers in their mouths. They are quite deep, but heal without scarring. If the baby has immune disorders, then the ulcerative process is continuous. Previously formed ulcers simply do not have time to heal before new ones appear. The acute process becomes chronic. That is why it is important that nutrition for stomatitis is gentle, at the same time complete and varied.

Features of the disease

In most cases, children suffer from candidal stomatitis, which develops against the background of the proliferation of pathogenic microflora. Due to weak immunity, the body is unable to restrain the growth of bacteria; their number rapidly increases. Localized in the oral cavity - on the gums, tongue, cheeks.

External signs:

• white coating;
• redness of the mucous membrane;
• purulent formations;
• sores.

A small child refuses to eat. In the absence of proper treatment, body temperature rises, chills, fever, and weakness appear.

In the viral, herpetic form, pathogenic cells enter the blood, spread throughout the body, and are localized in the mouth. The external signs of the disease are identical. Additionally, body temperature rises, weakness and malaise are present. The gums bleed, swell, become covered with plaque and ulcers. The herpes virus remains in the body for life. A strong immune system inhibits the manifestation of the disease. When it weakens, symptoms may appear again, but not so pronounced.

Allergic stomatitis manifests itself against the background of weak immunity, but the provocateurs are products containing allergens and personal hygiene products. Food, toothpaste, and mouthwash can cause the disease.

General diet rules

A special feature of the diet for this oral disease should be food that is as neutral as possible and does not irritate the mucous membranes. It should be well crushed and have an enveloping and slimy consistency.

When organizing meals for a baby with this disease:

1. It is necessary to adhere to small, frequent meals. Portions should be small, and the frequency of intake should be five or six times a day. It will be easier for the baby to eat a small portion, and it will be easier for parents to feed him.
2. All food should be crushed as much as possible, and the consistency should resemble puree. Meat and fish are used only in the form of minced meat. The temperature of the food should not be higher than forty degrees, neither hot nor cold.
3. Before eating, you can treat the child’s oral mucosa with products containing painkillers. You can use: Kamistad, Kalgel, Cholisal. Also, for pain relief before eating, you can give your baby Ibuprofen or Paracetamol. They will numb the mucous membrane in the mouth. You can safely feed your baby.
4. After eating, be sure to rinse your mouth with water at room temperature. Then the mucous membrane is treated. For this, any disinfectant solutions are used (Furacillin, Chlorhexidine, Stomatofit, Miramistin). To do this, you can use decoctions of chamomile or sage herbs. This is done in order to disinfect the lesions and prevent the development of a secondary infectious process.
5. It is necessary to apply oils to the mucous membrane that have the ability to activate reparation (recovery) processes.

It is impossible to cope with the disease with diet alone; it must be treated.

Basic treatment methods

Treatment methods are selected individually after determining the type of stomatitis. Actions are aimed at eliminating pathogenic symptoms. In the case of a viral form of the disease, Acyclovir is taken orally. The drug has a pronounced antiviral effect. According to the instructions, it is prescribed to children from 2 years of age; if necessary, pediatricians prescribe it to infants. In case of an allergic form, be sure to take antihistamines.

The main methods of treatment are lotions, rinsing, treatment of the oral cavity, and the use of special topical preparations (cream, gel). The easiest way is to rinse or frequently treat the mucous membrane with a baking soda solution. For 500 ml of water 1 tbsp. spoon of the product. Sea buckthorn oil, chamomile decoction, calendula tincture, and special ointments are used.

Standard treatment regimen

Treatment is selected individually in each case.

Authorized Products

The diet for stomatitis in children includes certain foods that do not irritate the oral mucosa.

Proper nutrition includes:

1. Vegetables (boiled, baked, steamed) - dishes made from them do not injure, do not irritate, and at the same time provide the body with vitamins and minerals. It is recommended to take vegetables with a delicate structure (broccoli, zucchini, potatoes, pumpkin).
2. Fermented milk drinks and products should definitely be included in the child’s diet, but they should not contain a lot of acid. It is worth giving preference to soft neutral cottage cheese, Varenets, and fermented baked milk.
3. Cereals - they are used to prepare porridges. They have an enveloping effect. They provide the body with B vitamins. The cereal must be well boiled.
4. Fruits – usually choose moderately sweet, neutral, non-acidic fruits. It is better to take bananas, watermelons, melons, crumbly sweet varieties of apples and pears.
5. Fish dishes - for their preparation, it is advisable to use fatty varieties of sea fish. To prepare either minced fish or steam it, remove all the bones so that the baby cannot injure the oral mucosa. Fish is a source of easily digestible protein, vitamins, microelements and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
6. Meat dishes - only soft, lean types (veal, rabbit, chicken, turkey) are used to prepare them. When cooking, it is better to prepare minced meat products. Steam them or bake them in the oven. You can cook: soufflé, cutlets, meatballs.
7. Liver - it can sometimes replace meat dishes; it is also better for preparing cutlets, soufflés, pates and similar dishes.
8. Casseroles - can be prepared from vegetables, cereals, pasta, cottage cheese.
9. Soups and broths – puree soups and low-fat broths are widely used in dietary nutrition.
10. Soft cheeses are a good source of calcium. It is high in calories, easily digestible, and nutritious.
11. Dried fruit compotes and jelly are a source of vitamins and microelements. It is better to replace tea with these drinks.
12. Juices must be natural, freshly squeezed. To do this, it is better to take non-acidic fruits and vegetables (pears, apples, carrots).

The use of these products in a diet for stomatitis will make the diet high in calories and nutritious, at the same time gentle.

How to treat stomatitis

Whatever the form of stomatitis, treatment always begins with a visit to the dentist.
He makes a diagnosis and prescribes treatment. If necessary, you may need to consult other specialists, such as a gastroenterologist, immunologist or allergist. Depending on the form of stomatitis, the doctor examines the patient and listens to complaints or prescribes laboratory tests, for example, bacterial culture of a smear or skin scraping, as well as a PCR study to determine the causative agent (herpes virus, fungus, etc.). Treatment of stomatitis usually occurs with local remedies and includes:

• normalization and maintenance of high-quality oral hygiene
• spot treatment of ulcers with drugs with antimicrobial, antiviral or antifungal action
• pain relief with anesthetics
• reducing swelling and redness with anti-inflammatory drugs

In addition, part of the therapy is a special diet that will help reduce inflammation and will not irritate the mucous membrane.

Sample menu for the day

A sample menu is presented to help you understand what to feed your baby.

Food should be varied, dishes should not be repeated for at least seven days. Its task is not only to nourish the child in a gentle manner during the period of exacerbation of stomatitis, it should help strengthen the immune system and the body’s defenses.

Is it possible to do inhalations for stomatitis?

The question immediately arises: “Why?” The use of steam devices is contraindicated as there is a risk of spreading infection. It is forbidden to inhale at high temperatures, purulent formations, or the presence of ulcers.

The nebulizer is used to treat the upper and lower respiratory tract. With stomatitis, the mucous membrane of the mouth is damaged, therefore, it needs to be treated there. The respiratory organs are not affected by pathogens. There is no runny nose, cough, or nasal congestion. Experts do not prescribe nebulizer inhalations for stomatitis, since in this case the procedures are ineffective and useless . Moreover, inhalation therapy can cause the spread of infection.

A nebulizer turns medications into an aerosol. Small particles penetrate into the lungs, bronchi, alveoli, large particles settle on the surface of the pharynx, larynx, and trachea. That is, the oral cavity is partially processed during such actions. The medicine does not reach the gums, cheeks, and tongue in the amount required to achieve a therapeutic effect. Moreover, the medication must be inhaled through a mouthpiece that is inserted into the mouth. When the mucous membrane is inflamed, this leads to painful sensations.

Inhalations for stomatitis in children

Some “experts” recommend using a nebulizer to administer antiseptic and immunostimulating agents. In this case, antiseptics act faster if they are applied directly to the affected areas. You need to rinse your mouth, lubricate the mucous membranes, and make lotions. Inhalations for stomatitis do not give the desired effect.

The effect of immunostimulants is questionable. It is impossible to say for sure whether the prescribed drug helped, or whether the immune system independently coped with the disease. Moreover, in childhood you should not interfere with the functioning of the immune system again. The body must independently develop resistance. Moreover, children are prescribed drugs that are safe for inhalation. The active ingredients are plant extracts. That is, there is no harm from the product, but there is no particular effect.

To speed up your child’s recovery, you need to maintain hygiene and adhere to a healthy diet. Additionally, they give vitamins to maintain the body. External treatments are used, inhalations are not performed.

Acute herpetic stomatitis

Acute herpetic stomatitis in children develops between six months and three years of age. This happens because in the first months after birth, the baby’s innate antibodies disappear, making him vulnerable to infections.

There are factors that contribute to the appearance and development of acute herpetic stomatitis in children. This:

• change in climatic conditions (overheating or hypothermia of the body);
• various concomitant diseases that weaken the immune system;
• failure to comply with hygiene rules for oral care;
• neuropsychiatric disorders.

In cases where acute herpetic stomatitis in children is not treated, the virus remains in the body for life, causing periodic relapses. Thus, the disease becomes chronic, and it can be caused by colds, stress, injury to the mucous membranes of the mouth, allergies, and vitamin deficiency.