Acid Reflux Symptoms in Infants

By Tom Houser

Acid reflux or GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux) is a medical term used to describe a condition where food and stomach acid back up into the esophagus. At the bottom of the esophagus is a ring of muscles called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). The LES opens and closes to allow food to enter the stomach. After meals, the LES opens to release gas. However, more than just gas may escape. Stomach contents may flow back into the esophagus and out the mouth. What parents see is the infant spitting up, vomiting can also occur.

Acid reflux can occur during or after a feeding. It can also occur when babies cough or cry as well. Acid reflux occurs in the first three months of age in more than half of all infants. It is quite common and is generally called ‘spitting up’. However, most babies do not need treatment. Acid reflux symptoms usually disappear between 12 to 18 months of age. For a very small number of babies the symptoms can be quite severe. In these cases, medical treatment is required.

Common acid reflux symptoms in infants:
• frequent coughing

• frequent hiccups

• wet burps

• bad breath

• frequent spitting up

• irritable while feeding

• frequent waking

• arching back while feeding

• constant or sudden crying

• eating small amounts of food or refusing food

Less common acid reflux symptoms in infants:

• excessive drooling

• frequent sinus or ear infections

• poor weight gain or weight loss

• frequent sore throat

• trouble swallowing

• asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, wheezing

Sometimes your doctor may make a diagnosis of acid reflux based on a parent's description of symptoms and feeding history and a physical exam even if your baby is healthy and growing well. If your baby's doctor suspects a more serious condition, such as GERD they may order more tests. These tests may include esophageal pH monitoring which measures the acidity in your baby’s esophagus. Another test is an Upper endoscopy. This is where a tube with a camera lens and light is inserted through the baby’s mouth and into the esophagus and stomach. The doctor uses this procedure to see if there is a narrowing or inflammation in the esophagus.

For most babies, acid reflux will disappear during the first year of life. It is extremely important to discuss the treatment options with your baby's doctor before beginning any treatment method, especially before using any over-the-counter medicine.

T. Houser www.acidcurereflux.com/
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Acid Reflux In Babies-Guide To Elevated Sleep

By Michael Russell

If you are a parent with a baby who suffers from acid reflux disease, then you know the emotional drain it can take. You always have a crying baby on your hands and no matter what you do, your baby is not content. Often in the past, babies with acid reflux disease were labeled as "colicky" and the parents were told to wait until they outgrew the problem. Now, doctors are beginning to accept the fact that babies who are crying generally have a reason for crying. Reflux babies cry because they are in pain. There are prescription medications that can help the problem.

Some parents feel extremely guilty when their baby is suffering from acid reflux disease. They feel that it is somehow their fault that their child is in pain. They may be told by well meaning friends and family that the formula is doing it, if the baby is formula fed. The breastfeeding mother might be told it is because of something she is eating. Both of these wrong pieces of advice can cause guilt and discouragement in the parents. While it may be that a change in the mother's diet or in formula might help the problem, these things are not the cause of the problem.

One of the biggest difficulties of raising a baby with acid reflux is getting the baby to sleep. This is because the moment you lay your baby down to sleep, the effect of gravity on the stomach acid is lost. Acid is sent into the esophagus, which is acid reflux. This painful problem causes the baby to fuss and wake up.

One way to combat the problem is to keep gravity in the equation. You can do this by elevating the baby's mattress to a slight incline. To do this properly, aim to have the baby's head about thirty degrees higher than her feet.

One way to do this is to tilt the mattress. You can tilt the mattress using the built in lowering mechanisms, if the crib is equipped with these. Simply raise one end up to a higher level, or lower one end down a level. This is the best way to elevate the mattress if you have it.

Another way to elevate the mattress is to add a pillow or two underneath the mattress. Even when working with an acid reflux baby, you never want to put the pillow directly under the baby's head, as this can cause suffocation. Instead, life up the mattress and place the pillow beneath it.

If the crib is on wheels, you can tilt the entire crib by removing the wheels on one end. This can make the crib unstable, so use caution. Another way to increase the incline of the crib is to place two of the legs on bricks. Using bricks with holes in the middle helps keep the entire crib stable, as the legs are put inside these holes.

Elevating your baby's crib mattress is one of the most effective ways to help her with acid reflux problems. You will find a wide range of expensive products on the market aimed to help reflux babies sleep better by elevating the sleeping position. These are often a waste of money, because with a little ingenuity and some elbow grease, you can elevate the mattress yourself!

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Acid Reflux
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