Acid reflux, which causes infants to spit up, is such a common problem for babies that parents should consider it a normal condition during their children's first year of life, reports Nationwide Children's Hospital. The problem of acid reflux happens when the stomach's contents spill upward into the esophagus. Parents may find relief for their babies by using any of several different kinds of acid reflux medications.
Antacids
Sometimes, with mild cases of acid reflux, the only type of medication infants need is an antacid, reports Nationwide Children's Hospital. Antacids reduce existing stomach acid and protect sore tissue in the esophagus and stomach that may be irritated by acid reflux. A commonly used antacid is simethicone, which is sold under the brand names Mylanta and Maalox. Parents can add antacids to their infants' bottles as often as needed. Antacids can prove quite effective at treating acid reflux but can also cause diarrhea, Nationwide Children's Hospital notes.
H-2 Blockers
While the treatment for infant acid reflux depends on each baby's age and symptoms, when medications are necessary, many doctors choose to start treatment with H-2 blocker drugs, explains the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. H-2 blockers can decrease the amount of acid the stomach makes, which then reduces the amount of acid reflux babies experience. Some H-2 blockers are raniditine, which goes by the brand name Zantac; famotidine, known commercially as Pepcid; and cimeditine, sold under the brand name Tagamet. Nationwide Children's Hospital reports that H-2 blockers usually cause few side effects in babies and have been generally considered safe for years, even in high doses.
Proton Pump Inhibitors
These medications also decrease the amount of acid the stomach makes, but Nationwide Children's Hospital explains that proton pump inhibitors are stronger drugs than H-2 blockers, so while they may prove more effective at relieving infant acid reflux, they may also be more likely to cause side effects than H-2 blockers. Examples of proton pump inhibitors are pantoprazole, which is known commercially as Protonix, and omeprazole, which is sold under the brand name Prilosec. The Pediatric/Adolescent Gastrointestinal Reflux Association states that parents should carefully weigh potential benefits of giving their infants acid reflux medications against the potential risks, and that if their babies suffer from severe reflux, it may be more dangerous to withhold medications and let reflux go untreated with drugs than it would be to risk side effects such as nausea and diarrhea.
