By: Laurie Edwards for Reflux1By now, most adults are familiar with the telltale symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) – persistent heartburn, regurgitation, hoarseness or trouble swallowing.
But what many don’t realize is that GERD often occurs in infants, and since most babies spit up – a classic symptom of GERD in babies – diagnosing the condition can be difficult for physicians and parents alike.
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More about GERD in Children
Symptoms of GERD in babies include excessive fussiness and crying, failure to gain weight, frequent vomiting and other respiratory problems.
GERD in infants is more common than most people realize, and luckily, 80 percent of babies outgrow the condition by one year of age.
Certain foods that exacerbate GERD include citrus fruits, chocolate, caffeine, fatty and/or fried foods and spicy foods.
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Whether in the tiniest baby or a full-grown adult, GERD is caused by the same mechanism. Specifically, it occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter fails to close properly. As a result, the stomach’s contents are leaked back into the esophagus. When stomach acid touches the bottom of the esophagus it can cause the burning sensation in the throat and chest we know as heartburn; when the fluid collects in the back of the mouth, it is considered acid indigestion.It is important to note that not everyone who has the occasional bout of heartburn or indigestion has GERD. Rather, GERD is diagnosed when these symptoms persist and occur more than twice a week.
Sometimes a hiatal hernia – a condition where the upper part of the stomach protrudes above the diaphragm – can cause GERD. A hiatal hernia can affect people of all ages. In adults, external factors that experts believe contribute to GERD include smoking, being overweight, alcohol use and pregnancy.
Knowing what to look for is the first step towards effectively treating GERD in babies. Often, babies with GERD are considered cranky or inconsolable, and frequent crying and sleeplessness can be symptoms of something more serious than typical infant crankiness.
GERD can also cause repeated vomiting, coughing or other respiratory ailments, as well as a failure to gain weight in babies who experience too much pain to eat. When babies arch their backs near feedings or pull away, it could be an indication of GERD.
“It’s a chronic problem. It even develops when you’re a little baby and it persists sometimes into adulthood and sometimes it goes away,” said Dr Nicholas D’Avanzo of Blue Ridge Pediatrics in Raleigh, NC.
Physicians point to the immature digestive symptoms of babies as a main contributor to GERD, and most times their symptoms subside as babies age. In fact, about 80 percent of babies with GERD outgrow the problem.
Babies born prematurely have an increased risk of developing GERD, as are children with a family history of reflux problems.
Once GERD is diagnosed there are steps doctors and parents can take towards alleviating the symptoms. As it does for many adults, acid controlling medications are quite effective in minimizing discomfort in babies.
Other simple ways to reduce acid reflux include keeping the baby upright for 30 minutes after feeding time and burping them frequently during the actual feeding.
For older children, experts recommend avoiding caffeinated sodas, chocolate, spicy foods and foods high in acidity like oranges and tomatoes.
Making sure your child doesn’t eat within two or three hours of bedtime and having him or her sleep with their head elevated also helps improve symptoms.
