Your Baby and Acid Reflux
Most people associate acid reflux with adults and heartburn or indigestion but the truth is that anyone of any age can develop acid reflux. It is particularly upsetting when babies develop acid reflux because it is difficult for them to describe symptoms to those who care for them, all they can do is cry and spit up and hope that someone understands that they are in pain and can do something about it.
Acid reflux is a condition in which food and stomach acid flow back up or in medical terms, “reflux” into the esophagus. Sometimes gas escapes this way and we call that belching or burping…babies are good at that especially if you pat them on the back and all of a sudden the baby spits up formula or breast milk and if you are lucky the mess misses your shirt, shoulder, back or front of you. Reflux is actually common in infants and is usually referred to as “spitting up”. If the baby is three months of age or older and is still spitting up but is a “happy spitter”, than the baby probably does not require any medical attention or medications. However, if the baby is irritated, fussy, not sleeping or eating well than the baby may have acid reflux and needs to have medical attention.
Those babies with the “happy spitting” are more than likely going to outgrow the spitting-up by the time they reach the first birthday or by the time they are 18 months of age.
Symptoms of acid reflux can be severe in a small percentage of babies and the symptoms may include frequent spitting up or projectile vomiting, irritability when the baby is being fed, the baby may refuse food or may only consume a small amount, may suddenly cry or even have a constant cry, will have “wet burps”, frequent hiccups, may even have frequent coughing spells, poor sleep habits with waking up frequently throughout the night, and the baby will also have bad breath and not the sweet baby breath as is usually the case.
The baby may also experience some of the less common symptoms of acid reflux that include difficulty in swallowing, weight loss or may be diagnosed with poor weight gain or failure to thrive, have respiratory problems such as asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, and wheezing. The baby may also have frequent ear infections or even have sinus infections. We all know babies drool, but a baby with acid reflux may drool constantly, or have a hoarse sounding voice. A very scary symptom can also occur and that is that the baby with acid reflux may have spells of not breathing.
If you notice any of these symptoms the common or not so common ones, your baby should be seen by a pediatrician right away for evaluation, monitoring and perhaps some testing.
