He is very early to get mucositis but sometimes a yeast infection -- thrush -- can hit you early on and it causes really bad burning when trying to drink anything, even water. Thrush causes little white spots on the soft palate and back of throat, and these come off if touched GENTLY! with a damp q-tip. They are really "colonies" of the yeast on top of the lining of the mouth. Mucositis sores are like canker sores, a lesion in the mucosa (lining) of the mouth and throat and will not come off with the q-tip. They cause real pain but not so much of a burning sensation as does thrush.

Thrush can be controlled with an oral rinse of Nystatin or a oral tablet, Diflucan. But it is usually a recurrent issue until after radiation ends.

Gail