Reflux, commonly known as gastroesophageal reflux, or GERD, is a weakness of the lower esophagus that allows food and acid to enter from the stomach. If left untreated, reflux can cause considerable damage to an infant's stomach lining and esophagus. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises parents to contact their pediatrician immediately if they suspect their infant has reflux. The condition can be managed, and infants typically outgrow it once their digestive systems mature, between the ages of 1 and 2.
Prevalence
Author and pediatrician Dr. William Sears of AskDrSears.com says that approximately 66 percent of babies have some degree of reflux. For a portion of these babies, symptoms interfere with daily life and prevent them from thriving without medical intervention.
Symptoms
Reflux symptoms manifest themselves as colic in infants. Babies are often inconsolable after feedings, arching their backs and crying for hours. According to the AAP, babies with reflux spit up after every feeding. Sometimes the spit up is forceful, similar to vomit. Because they can spit up entire feedings at once, reflux babies often have trouble gaining enough weight. They often wheeze and cough.
Reflux also affects parents, who may feel frustration and guilt over not being able to comfort their infants.
Diagnosis
According to Sears, pediatricians can often diagnose reflux based on medical history alone. Occasionally they will order a barium swallow X-ray, in which the infant drinks a barium shake that illuminates his stomach, esophagus and upper intestines. As breast-feeding resource Kellymom.com points out, this test can be unreliable since most infants will regurgitate a barium shake. Scintigraphy, pH probe and endoscopy are also possible diagnostic tools for infant reflux.
Treatment
Over-the-counter antacid pills are commonly prescribed for infant reflux, according to Sears. Mother and baby can also alter their breast-feeding relationship; oftentimes, a less forceful let-down, a new feeding position and the elimination of allergenic foods such as dairy, soy and wheat from the mother's diet can significantly improve symptoms.
Fundoplication surgery, in which a portion of the upper stomach is wrapped around the esophagus, may be necessary for severe cases of reflux.
Parents may consider hiring a postpartum assistant, or doula, if family or friends are not available to help.
Warning
Occasionally reflux may be mistaken for a serious condition called pyloric stenosis, in which the stomach muscle thickens and does not allow food into the intestines. It can only be corrected by surgery.
Parents should also monitor their infant closely for sinus and ear infections, which can be chronic in severe cases of reflux. Reflux babies are slightly more susceptible to pneumonia and asthma.
