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reflux in babies

A: My daughter had this too and our doctor increased it by .5 mils…I am not telling you this is what you should do and I am by no means a doctor. I am only telling you what my docotr did

Q: how come wen reflux babies have rice cerial in their bottle they dont have anything bad happen to them?
but you cant give it to a baby who doesnt have reflux because all these bad things happen like choking, allergies etc
under 4-6 months i meant

A: You can give your baby cereal in a bottle.People just feel the need to tell you what to do concerning your child.My son gets rice cereal in his bottle.I couldn’t care less who disagrees with it or thinks I am a bad mother.I do what works for us I don’t go by what complete strangers tell me.

Q: Chiropractor for babies with reflux and colic?
My 8 week old daughter has silent reflux and colic. Ive heard about chiropractors being helpful. What is it exactly that they do to help these problems in babies and has anyone here used a chiro for their babies reflux or colic…did it work and how long did it take to work?

A: My nephew saw a chiro for reflux, while it didn’t cure it, it made it less severe. Chiropractors don’t use anywhere near the same force they would on a grown adult. Press down on your fingernail until it turns white, that’s how much pressure they use. Before taking your baby, ask how much experience they have with babies and if/when you do go be in the room.
I’ve taken both my boys when they were 2 weeks old. I found them to be fussy and prefer one side over the other before, and relaxed and happy on either side after.

Q: Medicines to treat REFLUX in babies?Please attend reflux babies parents.?
Medicines to treat REFLUX in babies?Please attend reflux babies parents.
My baby has reflux from birth now he is one year but still vomitings on milk & food & not intrested in solid food,Pediatrician advise to use ZANTAC & MOTILIUM,I want to know if you have any information about these medicines & there effects in babies,How much they are helpful to treat reflux?

A: My son was on Zantac as an infant – it only soothes the burning in the throat, it doesn’t stop the reflux.

Have you ever done any food allergy testing with your son? I was nursing my son while he had reflux, and I found that his reflux was due primarily to dairy in my diet. I took that out completely and his reflux got much better! I also took out eggs and his reflux went away completely. As he grew he turned out to be lactose intolerant, allergic to soy and intolerant of apples and oats (all of these things gave him gas or reflux while I was nursing him)

Just an idea!

Q: For all the mothers of reflux babies.?
How many of your babies have laryngomalacia and or tracheomalacia also? I am wondering how common it is. I know the two goes hand in hand.

A: Both my Girls had reflux but outgrew it at around 12 months, both were put on zantc to control it. They did not have laryngomalacia or tracheomalacia, but I found this article that may help http://www.chestjournal.org/cgi/content/full/119/2/409.

Q: Did your babies reflux cause any permanent damage?
My baby is 4 weeks old and was diagnosed with reflux 1 week ago, she was given Axid and seemed to be doing better for the last week, then all of a sudden it seemed to no longer work very well. Last night she screamed her little head off in pain along with the arching of the back and spitting up. What was your baby given, did they give you more than one med, any permanent damage from this?

A: My son was given Axid as well when he was 12 weeks old, which seemed to help him some, but just like in your case it wasn’t truly effective in controlling his reflux. The doctor then prescribed him Prevacid and told us to thicken his milk so that it would stay down and also put him on a hypoallergenic formula. This was the right combination of things to help my son and he went from being in pain to a happy, laughing baby in no time. The prevacid in itself worked wonders for him.

As far as I know he has no permanent damage from the reflux. He did under go testing to confirm his reflux after seeing a Pediatric GI specialist. However, his reflux was considered severe. He had silent reflux, where he didn’t actually spit up that much, however his milk refluxed into his lungs and caused him to have sleep apnea issues. This is not often the case with babies and most with reflux are in pain but are not otherwise effected but as you can see it can lead to serious problems. The night my son stopped breathing in his sleep was the longest night of my life. Since being on Prevacid and thickening his milk, he hasn’t had any sleep apnea issues since. I hope you find something that works well for your little girl soon and she gets some much needed relief.

Q: Does gripe water help with acid reflux in babies?
My 6 month old has been on Zantac since he was 1 month old. I don’t like that he has to rely on medicine. He is breastfed so I have decided to change my diet and eliminate dairy, chocolate, citris, and spicy food. But I want to know if ther is anything else that can help sooth his reflux naturally.

A: Gripe water would do no good for your babies Acid Reflex. I found out my daughter had it when she was 2 months old and was started on Prevacid which helped but she still spit up alot and cried quite a bit. Here are some things that we did for my daughters (ARD)
1. Feed in an upward position
2. Keep in an upward position for at least 30 to an hour after a feeding
3. If you give your baby a bottle wheather your breastfeeding or not try putting 1 to 2 tspns of cereal in her milk
4. change your diet which you already did
5. When sleeping don’t put her flat, raise her head and upper chest a bit that way she is at an angle. Maybe put a couple of books under the legs on the crib. They also have these little things you can lay your baby in while in the crib that keeps them raised a bit.
My daughters ARD did not last forever, she is now 7 months old and although she still spits up alot(which some babies just do), she does not have any pain or discomfort in her chest or any other signs of Acid Reflex.

hope i helped!

Q: For Mothers that have or have had reflux babies.?
Has anyone had their baby scoped because of reflux? It is when they give the baby some dye to drink mixed in with a little formula and see what is going on in their throat. I am not sure all what it entails…could someone tell me what the procedure is..preferably people that have been through it with their child.

A: My son had this done when he was about 3 months old. They will tell you not to feed your child (so he is hungry when you get there) and they put dye (very thick) in a bottle and have the child eat it. They then watch the dye go thru the body and see what it does. With my son as soon as it got to his stomach it started to come back up. They said that the valve in his stomach is over active. They then put him on some meds and on special formula. He grew out of it by the time he was a year old. I do know with my son (who is now 8) that because he had reflux he can throw up on demand… So if he really does not want to do something he will make himself throw up…

The procedure is not that bad at all. It seems like it would be bad, but it is not. They let me watch what the dye did in his system. Good luck with your little one.

Q: Could thrush cause acid reflux in babies?
My baby might have thrush. Could this also be contributing to his acid reflux?

A: Nope, thrush is harmless, even though it can be quite painful.

For his acid reflux, try feeding him in a more upright position if at all possible, and keeping him upright for a while after feeding. It just happens sometimes!

Q: Reflux babies question…?
My son is just 6 months old and has reflux. He is capable of taking 7 ounces in a feed but RARELY does this. He takes 3 ounces at best at the moment. My question is how much formula does other reflux babies take per feed? My guy is growing, but I am worried that he takes so little. And when they grow out of the reflux, do they take full bottles?

A: My son never took over a 4 ounce bottle. It was recommended that he not get over that in a feeding because too much formula at one time causes the reflux to get worse. Just feed him more often. As long as he is growing and meeting his milestones he is fine.

Babies usually don’t outgrow their reflux until they are closer to a year old and by that time, they don’t really need full bottles!

Q: Mummies to reflux babies?
My baby has had severe reflux since 3weeks & he’s now 11weeks & it seems to be getting worse over the past few days so I just have some questions please:

1/ At what age did your baby get reflux?

2/ At what age did your babies reflux peak?

3/ At what age did your babies reflux resolve?

4/ What did you do to manage it eg alternate medicines / drugs etc?

5/ At what age were you able to lay your baby flat ie in his/her cot?

6/ Anything else you did that you think might have helped your LO with reflux?

Thank you!
PS – I saw my pediatrician yesterday & he revised my babies reflux medication & suggested thickening his feeds.

A: Best thing a mom should do to her child after a feed is giving a lovely hug like this one: http://www.vanillajoy.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/hug1.jpg
and give a gentle patting on the back until the child belches out the air the child gulped while feeding. The child belches within a few minutes if you run your palm down the spine as you gently pat on the back. This should be done every time even if its a small feed.

The following links help to increase your awareness in all other aspects of reflux:

http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/surgical/gerd_reflux.html#

http://health.yahoo.com/other-other/gastroesophageal-reflux-in-babies-and-children/healthwise–tb1848.html

Q: Do breastfed babies get reflux? If they do, do they have to go on formula?
I don’t hear any women who breastfeed having problems with reflux, but it seems really common problem/complaint on Y!A. So do breastfed babies get reflux too? Is it more common in formula fed babies? Or do they suggest that you switch to formula if your baby has reflux issues?

Just curious.

A: Reflux, particularly GERD (which is reflux that causes pain, poor weight gain, or other medical problem) is more common in formula fed babies.

Formula stays in the stomach longer giving it more time to come back up. Breastmilk is a natural antacid which means any milk that does come up is less likely to cause pain. Bottle feeding is more likely to cause overfeeding -another risk for reflux (babies fed bottled breastmilk are slightly less likely to be overfed because its hard to pump). Bottlefeeding also causes babies to eat quickly and swallow more air than a baby that is breastfeeding properly -eating quickly and gas also aggravate reflux.

Reflux may also be related to allergies and thrush. Allergies are more common in formula fed babies, though it can happen to proteins passed in mom’s milk (though she can just stop eating those foods). Its said that formula, bottles, and pacifiers (more common in bottle fed babies) are risks for thrush -but you tend to hear of more breastfed babies getting thrush either because its more noticeable (pain in mother) or harder to treat (as many people don’t treat mom and baby at the same time)

http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/reflux.html
My baby spits up – is this a problem?

Spitting up, sometimes called physiological or uncomplicated reflux, is common in babies and is usually (but not always) normal. Most young babies spit up sometimes, since their digestive systems are immature, making it easier for the stomach contents to flow back up into the esophagus (the tube connecting mouth to stomach).

Babies often spit up when they get too much milk too fast. This may happen when baby feeds very quickly or aggressively, or when mom’s breasts are overfull. The amount of spitup typically appears to be much more than it really is. If baby is very distractible (pulling off the breast to look around) or fussy at the breast, he may swallow air and spit up more often. Some babies spit up more when they are teething, starting to crawl, or starting solid foods.

A few statistics (for all babies, not just breastfed babies):

* Spitting up usually occurs right after baby eats, but it may also occur 1-2 hours after a feeding.
* Half of all 0-3 month old babies spit up at least once per day.
* Spitting up usually peaks at 2-4 months.
* Many babies outgrow spitting up by 7-8 months.
* Most babies have stopped spitting up by 12 months.

If your baby is a ‘Happy Spitter’ –gaining weight well, spitting up without discomfort and content most of the time — spitting up is a laundry & social problem rather than a medical issue.

Some causes of excessive spitting up

* Breastmilk oversupply or forceful let-down (milk ejection reflex) can cause reflux-like symptoms, and usually can be remedied with simple measures.

* Food sensitivities can cause excessive spitting. The most likely offender is cow’s milk products (in baby’s or mom’s diet). Other things to ask yourself: is baby getting anything other than breastmilk – formula, solids (including cereal), vitamins (fluoride, iron, etc.), medications, herbal preparations? Is mom taking any medications, herbs, vitamins, iron, etc.?

* Babies with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) usually spit up a lot (see below).

* Although seldom seen in breastfed babies, regular projectile vomiting in a newborn can be a sign of pyloric stenosis, a stomach problem requiring surgery. It occurs 4 times more often in boys than in girls, and symptoms usually appear between 3 and 5 weeks of age. Newborns who projectile vomit at least once a day should be checked out by their doctor.

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/10/T106004.asp
# Offer smaller feedings more frequently. As a rule of reflux feeding: feed half as much twice as often. Less food in the stomach at one time lessens reflux. Feeding frequently stimulates more saliva production. Saliva contains a healing substance called epidermal growth factor, which helps repair the damaged tissues in the esophagus. It also neutralizes stomach acid and lubricates the irritated lining of the esophagus.

# Burp baby efficiently. Excess swallowed gastrointestinal air aggravates reflux. If breastfeeding, burp when switching breasts. If bottlefeeding, burp after every few ounces of formula.

# Breastfeed your baby. GER is much less severe in the breastfed baby, and a breastfed mother is able to cope better, for the following reasons:

* Breastmilk empties from the stomach twice as fast as formula.
* Breastmilk is generally more intestine-friendly than formula.
* Breastfed babies naturally feed more frequently and breastmilk is a natural antacid.
* Mothers enjoy the relaxing effect of maternal hormones while breastfeeding.

# Don’t bottle-prop and leave baby unsupervised during feedings. Babies with reflux can gag, choke, and have stop-breathing episodes during a feeding

Q: Reflux babies – how to deal with other’s reactions?
I have a gorgeous 4 month old son who has reflux. Basically, he vomits all the time. I love him to bits, but I am really sick of the vomit. It is so bad that our carpet is going to be replaced, I am always covered in vomit, and so is he. He has projectile vomited on books in our local library, on the counter at the supermarket, and on my mother and mother in law. His most noteworthy effort was when I opened the door to two mormons and he projectile vomited all over them before I’d even said a word. They told me they’d pray for him as they made a hasty exit, but that hasn’t worked! How do I deal with people’s reactions when I go out? I have two other children, so I can’t stay inside all day, and there are times when I just have to shop with him! Also, how do you cope with relatives who refuse to ever hold your baby or sit too close because they don’t want to get messed up. I understand their concern, but when there’s other babies all being passed around, it hurts.
Yes, he’s on medication, and he’s my second child with reflux, so we know all the tricks to helping him. Our doctor’s sure we’re doing all we can so far, but doesn’t expect him to grow out of it until he’s around 2 yrs old.

A: i wanted to add this to your other question after you selected a best answer, but it wouldn’t allow me so i’m putting it here.

my reflux baby started out on zantac with no success, we switched to prevacid it helped a lot. took him to a GI specialist and he had me start put rice in every bottle 1-2 TBL or as thick as he can drink.

~ETA– mine had me do 2 Tablespoon to start, i was so afraid he was going to balloon up in weight but he didn’t.~

there’s no unsafe amount of rice, so long as he is still taking in his normal amount of liquids (formula is his primary nutrition, so he can’t get so full he doesn’t finish his bottle). you can experiement with the thickness til you find one that works for you..
there are nipples you can buy with and ‘x’ to help it flow better, or you cut the hole bigger yourself (again you may need to experiement before finding what works best for you).
also keep him upright for 30 mins after eating.
finally we switched to dr brown’s bottles, these are the best ever bottles 4 reflux babies. if you dont use already you can prob order online.
many people beef up one side underneath of the crib mattress with blankets or towels so it angles a little. that is supposed to help too.

the other thing with mine was he was allergic to my breastmilk, so we had to put him on really expensive hypoallergenic stuff. once we did all this, it was like he was instanly a whole new baby. but man was it ever a rough road for a while.

Q: Parents of reflux babies?
My 5 1/2 month old daughter was just diagnosed with reflux- with all the symptoms that “few babies get”. Her right lung is very inflamed and is causing her to cough and have nasal symptoms, she also refuses to eat sometimes, spits up alot, wakes up frequently at night, etc, etc. Anyway, the Dr put her on Prevacid, but it was going to cost too much so he changed her to generic Prilosec which comes in a capsule that we have to break open and put on a tiny bit of applesauce and give to her 30 minutes before breakfast. I am looking for another option because half of what goes in a 5 1/2 month old’s mouth comes back out, hence she doesn’t get all the medicine. She has been on Zantac before for spitting up that was associated with a cold, but it didn’t do much good. Any suggestions or similar circumstances?
She has been allergy tested: allergic to pork and peaches (she doesn’t eat either) and weed pollen, which she is taking allergy meds for. She was xrayed, which is what showed her lung being inflamed.

A: Did your baby have a GI probe test done to confirm reflux? It’s invasive testing, so many doctors will diagnose reflux based on symptoms. The only problem with this is that there are many other possible causes of those symptoms other than reflux – allergies, overactive letdown (in breastfeeding mothers), pyloric stenosis, excessive swallowing of air during a feeding, etc. For many babies, medications and treatments are recommended and tried to no avail, only to find out that reflux wasn’t the true cause.

Personally, I think it’s best to try solutions for some of the problems listed above before resorting to prescription medications for reflux. If the baby is breastfed, block feeding, eliminating dairy or other potential allergens, and altering feeding positions can help eliminate the issues. If the baby is formula fed, sometimes changing formulas can help, specifically if it’s suspected that the baby has a dairy allergy or sensitivity.

Have you discussed the possibility of allergies with your doctor? Various food allergies (whether present in the mother’s breastmilk, or sometimes in formula) can cause allergic reactions that mimic the symptoms of reflux – excessive spitting up, nasal symptoms, cough, trouble sleeping, etc. Dairy, wheat, egg, and soy are some possible contributors. Sometimes, eliminating the culprit from your diet (if you’re breastfeeding) or switching to a different formula (if you’re bottle feeding) will clear up the symptoms. You might look into that as a possibility.

Chiropractic care is also shown to help reflux, or other issues that mimic reflux. Chiropractic adjustments help body stay in proper alignment, which can aid in proper digestion and help reduce the symptoms of reflux, colic, allergies, and other issues. Here’s more info on chiropractic care for reflux: http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46045 This is a very detailed report on how chiropractic care helped infants with reflux and similar issues: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2597889/

Here’s more info on reflux: http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/reflux.html A lot of the info there is directed toward breastfed babies, but it may still be helpful if your baby is formula fed.

ETA: Ah, I see. Well that’s good that allergies have been addressed by your HCPs.

Will she take a bottle? What if you put the meds in a small amount of formula/expressed breastmilk and gave it to her in a bottle or with a syringe/dropper?

I still think chiropractic care may be a good option for her. I’ve seen it help a lot of babies with similar issues.

Q: How do you treat acid reflux in babies?

A: Yes, My daughter had a preemie baby at 26 weeks and had acid reflux too.About the only thing you can do is take your baby to its doctor.It is very hard for baby’s to fed,with acid reflux.My daughters baby even,stopped eating for a time,because it hurt her so much,that she would not eat.They put her on some medication for it and than she started to improve.

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