What Causes Gerd in Infants?

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It is common for infants to spit up liquid or a little bit of food after eating but if your infant is frequently vomiting after a meal your infant might have GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease.

The symptoms essentially include liquids and food substances backing up into the esophagus from the stomach and sometimes entering your infant’s mouth and being spit out.

Causes

Typically GERD in babies is caused by baby's immature digestive tract. However, most of the infants who have GERD are in good health. Overeating and hereditary tendencies are some factors that can cause GERD.

Symptoms

Symptoms of GERD in infants include frequent coughing, recurring vomiting, heartburn, gas, stomach pain or showing signs of colic such as persistent crying or fussy behavior.

They will often regurgitate their food and then proceed to swallow it. You might notice them gagging or having some problems breathing.

Some experts believe that a poor growth rate is a sign of GERD in infants as well as recurring bouts of pneumonia.

Diagnosis

Usually information provided by the parents is sufficient for a pediatrician to realize the baby has GERD. In some cases tests need to be completed in order to come up with the correct diagnosis. Tests for reflux in infants include an upper GI series, a ph probe, endoscopy and what is referred to as a gastric emptying study.

Medications and Treatments

Doctors usually recommend that the first things parents should do is make some lifestyle changes for their infant. Parents can try elevating the portion of the crib where their baby’s head is placed. Parents should hold the infant upright for approximately thirty minutes after the baby has been fed.

Check with your doctor to find out if it is safe to introduce solid foods -- this might help relieve your baby's symptoms. If these easy changes in lifestyle don’t reduce or eliminate GERD in your infant your doctor might recommend medication.

Some of the antacids used that may help in reducing acid in the stomach are Mylanta and Maalox. Your doctor may recommend acid blockers such as Zantac, Pepcid, or Tagamet.

Keep in mind that high doses of antacids, proton pump inhibitors, and acid blockers can produce unpleasant side effects for babies. Using these products for too long of a time period can also produce harmful side effects.

Serious side effects from using these types of medications are rare but make sure you check with your baby's pediatrician before giving your infant any of these medications. Discuss with your doctor the various treatments that are available for treating GERD.

Please Note

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