How To Recognize The Symptoms of Acid Reflux in Babies
One major frustration for most parents is their inability to
recognize the symptoms of acid reflux in babies and know what is going
on with their very young children. What is bothering infants, who can
only communicate through crying, is often a mystery. One way for parents
to feel better about their ability to comfort their infants is to learn
about issues that commonly afflict infants and toddlers.
Normal or Not? Symptoms of Acid Reflux in Babies
Infants who suffer from acid reflux are not capable of keeping stomach
contents inside their stomachs. Unlike adult cases of acid reflux
disease, this does not appear to be muscular issue in all babies.
Rather, babies’ young (and sometimes underdeveloped) digestive systems
are often poorly coordinated, leading to the stomach becoming too full,
too quickly. Additionally, infants spend far more time on their backs
than most adults, which aggravates the symptoms of acid reflux in
babies.
Acid reflux is, unfortunately, a fairly common issue for infants – some
sources say nearly half of all infants will suffer from acid reflux
within the first few months of life. Quickly recognizing the symptoms of
acid reflux can prevent frustration and pain (for both infants and their
parents), as well as the long-term negative consequences of the disease,
including failure to thrive due to inadequate food consumption and
breathing problems caused by esophageal tissue damage.
Common symptoms of acid reflux in babies are actually fairly similar to
things experienced by many babies. As any experienced parent knows,
spitting up, vomiting and irritability (3 symptoms of acid reflux in
babies) occur with most infants on a regular basis. How can parents know
if this is normal behavior or a signal of a problem?
The answer depends mostly on the frequency and severity of the symptoms.
If a child vomits nearly every time her or she eats, there is likely a
problem. If the vomiting is associated with breathing difficulties or
frequent respiratory infections, there may be a problem. Any parents who
suspect the symptoms of acid reflux in their baby should seek medical
treatment from their pediatrician.
Treating the symptoms of acid reflux in babies can range from simple
things (like thickening food with cereal) to more intense treatments,
like over the counter and prescription medications, and special beds
that allow infants to sleep on an incline, which helps reduce the
symptoms of acid reflux in babies. Regardless of the causes and
treatments for acid reflux, the good news is the vast majority of
infants do not suffer any long term consequences of the disease.
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