Gastroesophageal reflux occurs when stomach contents, including acid, reflux, or back up, into the esophagus during of after a meal. An infant or newborn who is consistently spitting up or vomiting may have gastroesophageal reflux. Infant gastroesophageal reflux is a common problem. Most of the time gastroesophageal reflux in newborns is attributed to a poorly coordinated gastrointestinal tract. It occurs when the ring of muscle at the bottom of the esophagus also know as the lower esophageal sphincter or LES relaxes. When the LES opens in infants stomach contents often reflux back into the esophagus and out the mouth. If a doctor suspects gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, diagnostic tests may be necessary.
Step 1
Give the baby smaller, more frequent feedings to see if symptoms subside. Also, keep the baby upright during feedings and take more frequent breaks to burp the baby. You can also try thickening milk or formula with cereal, but only if the doctor advises you to do so.
Step 2
Allow the doctor to take various blood and urine tests on your child to identify possible causes of vomiting or poor weight gain.
Step 3
Discuss a barium swallow or upper GI series with the doctor to check for GERD in your baby. This is a x-ray test that uses barium to identify any problems in the esophagus, stomach and upper part of the intestine.
Step 4
Schedule a pH probe, which is a test where a thin tube with a probe at the tip is placed through the baby's nose and down the esophagus and measures levels of stomach acids. The frequency of reflux is monitored typically over 24 hours.
Step 5
Help the doctor schedule an upper GI series on your baby. An endoscope is used to look inside the esophagus, stomach and upper part of the small intestine. Pinch biopsies of the esophagus are then taken to determine the presence of reflux.
Tips and Warnings
- In addition to feeding method changes it may also be beneficial to elevate the newborn's crib or bassinet to see if it also helps symptoms to subside. A gastric emptying study can be used in which the infant consumes milk mixed with a safe radioactive chemical. The chemical is then followed through the gastrointestinal tract using a special camera.
Things You'll Need
- Baby cereal
- Barium
- PH probe
- Endoscope
- Radioactive chemical
