Acid baby reflux, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is a common condition affecting infants. It occurs when the muscle between the esophagus and stomach does not close properly, causing the stomach’s contents to flow back into the esophagus. This can cause discomfort, pain, and other symptoms in infants. While some cases of acid reflux in infants are minor and resolve independently, others may require treatment to alleviate symptoms.
This article will discuss practical ways to treat acid reflux in infants, including lifestyle changes, dietary modifications, and medical treatments. Whether you are a parent or a caregiver, the information provided here will help you better understand acid reflux in babies and provide guidance on how to help your little one feel better.
Understanding Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) in Infants or Children
GERD is a common condition in babies and toddlers, affecting up to 30% of the young generation at some point in their lives. While it can cause parents to feel anxious and stressed about their child’s situation, parents can alleviate this condition with the proper treatment.
What Causes Acid Reflux in Infants?
The ring of muscles between an infant’s esophagus and stomach is yet to be fully developed. Because of it, there’s a tendency for stomach contents to flow back into the esophagus.
There are various factors that can contribute to acid reflux in babies. Let’s discuss a few of them:
- Acid: The reflux contains enough acid to cause irritation and damage the lining found in the esophagus.
- Pyloric stenosis: The valve that allows food to leave the stomach thickens and becomes more significant than usual. Because of it, the food gets stuck in the stomach, blocking it from entering the infant’s small intestine.
- Food allergy: there are instances when a baby is intolerant to the protein found in cow’s milk, triggering acid reflux.
- Feeding positioning: the infant’s position during feeding can also contribute to acid reflux, especially if the baby is lying flat or on their back.
- Eosinophilic esophagitis: The baby may have a particular type of white blood cell called eosinophil that tends to build up and damage the esophagus lining [1].
- Particular medical condition: certain medical conditions, such as prematurity, family history of reflux, and cerebral palsy or Down syndrome, can make infants more susceptible to acid reflux.
Baby’s Acid Reflux Symptoms
There are times when babies tend to spit up or vomit occasionally. However, persistent symptoms may cause them discomfort and distress. The signs and symptoms of acid reflux in babies may vary, but here are a few common ones that you might want to know:
- Incessant vomiting or spitting up
- Irritability during or after feeding
- Difficulty feeding or refusal to consume food
- Arching of the neck or back during or after feeding
- Wheezing or coughing
- Excessive drooling
- Poor weight gain
- Gagging or choking
Although these are commonly observed in babies with gastroesophageal reflux and other types of acid reflux, it’s important to remember that these may also indicate other medical conditions. So, it’s crucial to consult your baby’s doctor to reduce the infant’s risk of developing acid reflux.
Diagnosing Baby’s Reflux
Diagnosing baby reflux primarily involves a physical exam and a review of your baby’s medical history. However, some instances may require additional tests to confirm the diagnosis, especially if the baby had digestive and kidney diseases in the past. Here are a few of the most common methods performed by doctors to determine a baby’s reflux.
- Physical Examination: your healthcare provider will perform a series of physical tests to examine for any signs of baby reflux. These can vary from excessive vomiting or irritability when feeding breast milk.
- Medical History: your healthcare provider will also ask questions about your baby’s feeding habits, medical history, sleeping patterns, and overall health. There are times when your child’s current and previous health conditions may have resulted in baby reflux. So, it’s essential to let your doctor know about it to diagnose your baby’s condition properly.
- Treatment Trials: if your healthcare provider suspects your baby to have acid reflux, they may recommend a trial of treatment. The treatment may vary from changes in feeding positions, smaller and more frequent feedings, or medication. Improvement in symptoms with treatment can help confirm the diagnosis of acid reflux.
- Upper Gastrointestinal Series: In some instances, a health specialist may order a series of gastrointestinal tests to determine further the root cause of your child’s baby reflux. It often involves giving your baby a contrast material and then taking X-ray images of the digestive system to thoroughly evaluate any structural abnormalities causing your child’s baby reflux.
- pH Testing: If your toddler suffers from severe baby reflux, a pH probe may be used. This test primarily involves inserting a small tube through the nose into the esophagus to measure acidity level over 24 hours.
Natural Remedies for Acid Reflux in Babies
While it is usually not a serious health concern, acid reflux can be uncomfortable for the infant and distressing for the parent. Fortunately, there are several natural remedies that can help alleviate the symptoms of acid reflux in babies. Let’s take a closer look at a few of them:
Adjust Feeding Habits
Parents can try adjusting their baby’s feeding habits to reduce the chances of developing baby reflux symptoms. Also, feeding your baby upright for at least half an hour can help alleviate the acid reflux symptoms.
Burping
Burping is also one of the best natural remedies to reduce acid reflux symptoms. Frequently burping can effectively release the trapped air in the stomach. Thus, reducing your baby’s stomach acid levels and preventing them from building up, allowing stomach acid to digest the food properly.
Breast Milk
Breast milk is the best food for babies because it’s easily digested. It also has low-fat content, making it easily absorbed by your baby’s body. Breastfeeding is also an excellent alternative to dairy products or other foods that may trigger allergic reactions in your baby. Thus, reducing the chances of gastroesophageal reflux.
Probiotics
Besides breast milk, burping, and feeding your baby upright, probiotics are another of the best natural remedies. Every helpful probiotic strain is beneficial bacteria that can help improve the overall health of the digestive system by helping boost baby’s digestion. Parents can give their babies probiotic supplements, allow them to drink pasteurized milk, or choose baby formulas that include probiotics to help alleviate acid reflux. That’s because probiotics are one of the best ways to help reduce your child’s reflux, especially when caring for breastfed babies.
Massages
A gentle massage on your baby’s stomach can also help alleviate the discomfort your baby feels from stomach acid reflux. You may gently rub your baby’s stomach clockwise to relieve the discomfort. Start at the belly button and repeat the process until your baby calms down. Doing so will also help alleviate the pressure in the lower esophageal sphincter, which is an excellent way to help colicky breastfed infants.
Proper Sleeping Position
Another way to alleviate your child’s reflux is by elevating your baby’s sleeping position. Placing a small pillow or wedge under the head of the mattress can help reduce stomach acid reflux during sleep. Many infants will automatically feel relaxed when they have a small pillow with them.
Drugs to Neutralize or Decrease Stomach Acid
There are times when homeopathic treatments may not be able to address baby reflux. At times like this, your doctor may recommend medication to address your baby’s condition:
Antacids
Antacids are the most commonly used medication for addressing stomach acid reflux in babies and children. It’s like Mulanta and Maalox neutralize stomach acid, alleviating acid reflux [2]. This medication is available in liquid and tablet form and can be provided during or after every feeding. However, it’s important to note that antacids aren’t recommended for babies under six months. It’s also advisable to consult your child’s doctor before giving antacids to your baby.
H2 Blockers
H2 Blockers are another type of medication that you should consider addressing stomach acid reflux in infants. It works by reducing the amount of stomach acid that the body produces. Thus, reducing the reflux symptoms. However, the same with antacids, it’s best not to give acid-blocking medications to infants below the age of two months. It’s also best to consult your child’s doctor before giving it to your baby.
Proton Pump Inhibitors
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are a medication used to treat more severe cases of acid reflux in babies. It also block the enzyme that produces acid in the stomach, which helps reduce stomach acid reflux. They are available in liquid or tablet form and are usually given once a day. However, PPIs should not be given to infants under one year to address gastroesophageal reflux, and parents should consult their child’s doctor before giving them PPIs.
Lifestyle Changes to Help Treat Acid Reflux in Babies
In addition to medication and natural remedies, lifestyle changes can also address gastroesophageal reflux disease in babies. Let’s discuss a few effective lifestyle changes that you can consider to address infant reflux.
Avoid Overfeeding
Overfeeding can put unnecessary pressure on your baby’s small intestine and entire digestive tract. Thus, causing gastroesophageal reflux disease. So, parents and caregivers must avoid excessive bottle feeding throughout the day. Instead, consider providing your baby with smaller, more frequent meals to help breastfed babies from developing gastroesophageal reflux disease caused by the pressure from the sphincter muscle.
Avoid Pressure on Baby’s Stomach
Excessive pressure on your baby’s stomach can also cause gastroesophageal reflux. One way to avoid it from happening is by avoiding placing your baby in a swing or a car seat immediately after feeding them. Instead, it’s best to hold the baby upright or in a reclined position. Positioning baby upright after feeding can help reduce the pressure in the stomach and the lower esophageal sphincter. Thus, reducing the chances of developing gastroesophageal reflux.
Wear Loose Clothes
Although it may seem mundane, letting your baby wear loose clothes can also address silent acid reflux. Tight-fitting clothes can put unnecessary pressure on the baby’s esophagus and stomach. Thus, worsening acid reflux. Instead, parents should dress the baby in loose-fitting clothes and avoid tight waistbands or diaper covers.
Avoid Tobacco Smoke
Smoking tobacco doesn’t only affect your health, but it can also affect your baby. Exposure to the smoke coming from tobacco can increase the chances of developing uncomplicated infant reflux. That’s why parents shouldn’t smoke or be around others who smoke and to ensure that the baby’s environment is smoke-free. Doing so helps protect your child from developing symptoms related to acid reflux.
Have a Schedule
One of the easiest home remedies that anyone can do is to establish a feeding schedule with their young babies. Following a feeding schedule for your baby can aid in regulating their digestive system to fully digest the stomach contents and even alleviate your infant’s symptoms relating to acid reflux. Parents and caregivers should aim to feed the baby regularly throughout the day and avoid feeding the baby right before sleeping. Doing so will allow the baby to fully digest the stomach contents and aid in iron and calcium absorption.
When to Seek Medical Attention
Most cases of acid reflux can be managed with the help of natural remedies or lifestyle changes. However, there are times when medical attention is needed to treat such conditions. Here are a few telltale signs that medical intervention is needed. if your child has suspected reflux:
Persistent Symptoms
If you notice that your baby’s symptoms aren’t changing despite using natural remedies or changing your lifestyle, then it’s best to seek help from medical experts. As previously discussed, a few of the most common signs you must watch out for when observing your baby’s symptoms include vomiting, irritability, and coughing. If these symptoms seem to happen frequently, it’s essential to reach out to a health professional.
Insufficient Weight Gain
Acid reflux can also affect a baby’s ability to accumulate weight. So, if you notice that your baby isn’t gaining weight as expected, then it’s best to seek medical attention to see if the doctor will diagnose acid reflux in your baby. There’s a chance that the acid is affecting your child’s ability to digest food properly.
Breathing Problems
Acid reflux can cause respiratory symptoms such as coughing or wheezing. If a baby develops respiratory symptoms in addition to acid reflux symptoms, it may be a sign of more severe breathing problems, such as aspiration or pneumonia. In these cases, it is essential to seek immediate medical attention to determine if your child has GERD in infants.
Bloody Vomit
If you notice that your baby has bloody vomit, it’s crucial to seek medical intervention immediately. Blood in vomit could signify a much more serious health condition, such as an ulcer in the small intestine or damage in the lower esophageal sphincter muscle. At this stage, natural remedies are no longer advisable, and prompt medical intervention is needed.
Benefits of Treating Acid Reflux in Babies
Acid reflux is a common condition shared by many babies. And while most cases resolve on their own, it’s essential to treat the condition to help your child grow as one of the healthy child. Let’s discuss the benefits of treating infant reflux.
Relief of Symptoms
The most apparent benefit of treating acid reflux in babies is relief. Acid reflux can cause discomfort, irritability, and other symptoms that can interfere with the baby’s ability to eat, sleep and play. Treating acid reflux can reduce these symptoms, improving the baby’s quality of life. Feeding a baby high-fiber food such as rice cereal helps reduce stomach acid, which is essential in many infants’ growth.
Improved Sleep
Acid reflux can interfere with a baby’s sleep, causing many infants to wake up frequently at night. Treating acid reflux can help improve the baby’s sleep, allowing them to get the rest they need to grow and develop.
Better Feeding
Acid reflux can interfere with a baby’s eating ability, causing them to spit up, gag, or refuse feedings. Treating acid reflux can help improve the baby’s feeding, making it easier for them to eat and digest food.
Improved Weight Gain
Acid reflux can interfere with a baby’s ability to gain weight, as it can cause them to spit up or refuse feedings. Treating acid reflux can help improve the baby’s weight gain, ensuring that they grow and develop as they should.
Reduced Risk of Complications
Acid reflux can increase the risk of complications such as aspiration, bacterial infection, or pneumonia. Treating acid reflux can reduce the risk of these complications, ensuring the baby stays healthy and safe.
Conclusion
While many cases of GERD in infants are manageable with natural remedies or lifestyle changes, it’s still crucial to seek medical attention when necessary. Consulting a healthcare provider will help you effectively determine the underlying reason for the symptoms and help your child receive the proper treatment.
Diagnosing acid reflux in infants is an effective way to address the problem before it worsens. It requires a thorough evaluation of the infant’s medical history, symptoms, and physical examination. With appropriate diagnosis and treatment, most infants with acid reflux can experience relief from their symptoms and avoid complications.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. I’ll do my best to provide you with a helpful answer.
