More than half of all babies experience reflux symptoms during their first few months of life. Later, as adults, millions of us will suffer from heartburn symptoms. When does it become a problem? And how can parents treat their babies? Read on for some pertinent information on infant reflux that can help you reduce discomfort during these delicate years.
Babies spit up… a lot. This happens because the lower esophageal sphincter (the valve that closes the throat) isn’t fully developed yet and the soft tissue allows for liquid to come back up just as easy as it went down. Generally, as the child ages this will be less of a problem, although it’s possible that he or she may have infant reflux.
Aside from being kind of gross, infant reflux can be a sign of GERD (a severe version of reflux resulting in awful pain, vomiting and poor weight gain) or Pyloric Stenosis (a rare condition where a narrowed valve prevents stomach contents from emptying properly into the intestines). You should seek medical advice if your baby resists feeding but seems hungry, isn’t gaining weight, has fewer wet diapers than normal and seems lethargic, spits up forcefully, spits up green or brown fluid, or spits up more than a few tablespoons at a time. If your baby sounds hoarse all the time, has diarrhea or difficulty breathing, then definitely ask your doctor about infant reflux.
While breastfeeding, try to keep your baby in a slightly upright position by holding, using pillows or a feeding product, such as the Pollywog Nursing Positioner. It’s also possible you’re simply feeding your baby too much at once. Try smaller feedings, which could reduce the incidence of regurgitation.
If you’re bottle feeding, you may want to try a different bottle, such as Dr. Brown’s Natural Flow Bottles, which are specially designed to reduce air bubbles that trigger burping, ear fluid and infant reflux. There are also other formulas that your baby might digest better. For babies with merely infant reflux and no milk allergies, Enfamil AR is designed for them. flonase. However, if the milk-based formula seems to upset your baby, soy-based, lactose-free or hypoallergenic formulas are available. In fact, approximately 25% of babies in the US are on soy-based formulas. Isomil and Prosobee are two popular soy-based formulas on the market. Hypoallergenic formulas include: Alimentum, Nutramigen, Pregestimil, Neocate and Elecare.
Breastfeeding reduces the incidence of infant reflux, since the baby’s tongue triggers muscular contractions that move food down the esophagus. Also, breast fed babies are traditionally held in a more upright position, which also reduces reflux.
When all traditional methods fail, medication can treat severe GERD symptoms. Decreased dosages of Zantac, Nexium, Prilosec and Tagamet have been prescribed for infant reflux. In some cases, surgery can tighten the improperly functioning esophageal muscle associated with the reflux.
For more information about infant reflux, go to http://acidrefluxinformation.blogspot.com
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