What Is Acid Reflux In Infants And Solutions for it

What is acid reflux, and why is it suffered by infants and toddlers?

Acid reflux is commonly known as heartburn. Most of us have experienced it at one time or another and we usually associate it with that pizza we ate at 2 o’clock in the morning. So what is infant or toddler acid reflux?

First, let’s understand what acid reflux is.

The human body, infants included, contains something called a lower esophageal sphincter. This sphincter is designed to let food through to the stomach while at the same time keep the stomach acid in the stomach. Form time to time this sphincter malfunctions. Sometimes we just eat poorly or too much and that causes excess gas and acid build up that the sphincter cannot keep down. Sometimes we may just be born with a weak sphincter that acts up when we lay down or bend over. Sometimes our heartburn is indicative of something more serious such as sleep apnea.

It is important to understand that some acid reflux is frequent and ongoing (chronic) and some is occasional (acute). If you have an underlying condition that causes the reflux to be chronic or your lower esophageal sphincter is damaged, you may have GERD (gastro esophageal reflux disease). If you suspect this, speak to your physician immediately.

What does this have to do with infant acid reflux? Well, now you know how it is caused and the difference between regular acid reflux and GERD. It is not likely that your infant has GERD but if you suspect it in the least, please see you physician or pediatrician right away.

Most likely your infant did not get acid reflux from pizza, so, where did they get it? For one thing, babies spend far more time on their back than adults. When they are on their backs, gravity is not helping to keep the stomach acids down.

Also, most babies primarily eat liquids. Solids are heavier and help keep the stomach acid where it belongs.

Now you know why your baby has infant acid reflux. What can you do to help?

You can try adding cereal to the baby’s bottle which may absorb some of the stomach acid.

After feeding the baby, make sure that you keep it upright for at least half of an hour so that the digestion process is well under way. Make sure to burp your baby properly as normal.

Try to have the baby sleep in an upright position as much as possible (check with your doctor on this). This will help keep the stomach acid down.

In extreme circumstances, your physician may suggest some over the counter medications or even prescription medications. Please do your research on these and make the best informed decision for you and your child, and your infants acid reflux will hopefully be remedied.

Fortunately, Dr. Rubman reminded me of the many safe and natural ways to address heartburn and other digestive disturbances in children…
Lose weight. Rather than addressing symptoms alone, it’s vital to address their underlying cause, says Dr. Rubman. Obesity is a growing problem in children and more often than not, heartburn and GER are due to excess pounds from overeating.

Look at natural ways to control heartburn. Instead of turning to acid suppressants, try an antacid. Add a half teaspoon of pure baking soda to a glass of cold water, or give your child an Alka-Seltzer, which is simply modified baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) in tablet form with aspirin and citric acid. But remember, this should be done only on an empty stomach. Suppressing acid in the absence of ulcer only perpetuates the symptoms, says Dr. Rubman.
Chew food thoroughly. Chewing stimulates enzyme activity, and the more food is broken down in the mouth, the more readily the nutrients in the food are absorbed and utilized. As a parent, I know how hard it is to get your children to slow down while eating… just keep working on them.

Eat three meals a day. While popular thinking holds that small, frequent meals are less likely to cause indigestion, Dr. Rubman disagrees. With three reasonably-sized meals a day, stomach acid can efficiently dissolve food and extract nutrients when a child eats, and the stomach can rest between meals. This means watch the snacking as well if your child is having stomach upsets. If they really need a snack, as many children do, ripe fruit that is not citrus is their best bet because it tends to digest quickly in a compromised environment. Avoid this within an hour of bedtime.

Limit fluids with children’s meals. Fluids dilute stomach acid, leaving more work for the stomach to do. Dr. Rubman advises that children cease drinking one-half hour before eating, and refrain from drinking for an hour afterward.

Monitor food combinations. It’s unwise to combine foods that digest quickly (sugar, white flour products, white potatoes, etc.) with highly saturated fats (such as red meat or dairy), cautions Dr. Rubman.
Another good rule of thumb: No fruit with meals. Either eat the fruit one-half hour before the meal or wait at least an hour to an hour and a half after the meal to eat the fruit depending on the size and complexity of the meal.

Consider digestive enzymes or herbal remedies. When stomach acid levels are low, Dr. Rubman recommends digestive aids such as DuoZyme (Karuna) and Gastri-Gest (Priority One). These supplements stimulate hydrochloric acid release.

Check with a trained professional regarding the proper dosage for your child’s age and weight.

When you suppress stomach acid, you also suppress liver function.

This means that fat can no longer be as efficiently excreted with bile. Additionally, acid suppressants reduce the body’s ability to thoroughly digest proteins, which reduces its ability to manufacture “the good cholesterol,” HDL.

Young developing bodies with developing hormones are especially vulnerable to damage due to suppressed liver function, he says.

Additionally, suppressing the liver’s ability to produce HDL can create a cholesterol problem that would not have existed without the acid suppressants.

ANTACIDS AND CHILDREN JUST DON’T MIX

On a recent vacation I visited a family fair where rows of booths addressed various children’s health issues. Imagine my surprise when I turned a corner and found one hawking lansoprazole (Prevacid), a high-powered acid-suppressant known as a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI), for pediatric gastroesophageal reflux (GER), also known as GERD in those with the disease.

When I was young, a little Pepto Bismal was standard fare for all kids’ tummy aches. It seems, however, that the pharmaceutical companies are upping the ante… and now, instead of soothing an irritated stomach, they are going to change the natural function of children’s digestive systems. This seemed a perfect subject for this month’s Digestion Connection discussion with Daily Health News contributing editor Andrew L. Rubman, ND.

Not surprisingly, Dr. Rubman told me that acid suppressants (such as PPI drugs Prilosec and Prevacid) — relieve heartburn by decreasing stomach acid production and antacids (such as Mylanta and Maalox) neutralize stomach acid. These drugs, he says, should rarely be taken by children, just as they should rarely be taken by adults.

It’s all marketing, hucksterism and salesmanship, now at the cost of even our children’s health and well-being, warns Dr. Rubman. He adds that not only are these drugs often unnecessary, they are actually harmful to our health — and our children’s health. Truth be told, digestive difficulties are also likely to develop due to insufficient rather than excess stomach acid, says Dr. Rubman.

Acid reflux in infants is one of the most common ailments among newborns and small children. Both of our children were diagnosed with the condition, and it of course was hard news to hear the first time.

Your brain immediately goes into parent mode because you don’t want your child to have any pain or discomfort. You most certainly don’t want to hear that your child or children are diagnosed with a condition. However, our pediatrician reassured us that acid reflux in infants is quite a common condition among babies and with some treatment the condition would improve and eventually subside.

Acid reflux in infants is a condition where the contents of the stomach, including both acid and food, work back up into the esophagus sometimes causing pain and discomfort. It is a medical fact that acid reflux in infants is common, mainly because their muscle closing off the stomach from the esophagus is often not completely formed yet and allows for acid and food to back up quite often, mostly after eating.

In babies, it is difficult to tell they have acid reflux, as it is quite common for babies to spit up. If a child spits up or vomits often, and it is accompanied by crying, arching of the back or poor sleeping habits then the child most often is diagnosed with acid reflux.

Acid reflux in infants is usually treated with some medication. Pediatricians often prescribe acid reducers such as Prevacid or Zantac, which reduce the production of acid in the stomach. Since acid reflux in infants is so common, these now come in water soluble forms which can either be mixed with their formula or breast milk, or it also dissolves almost immediately after hitting the mouth of an infant. This makes giving this medication much easier, and it is effective almost immediately.

Treatment of acid reflux usually includes taking some medication. Often it is recommended to take some over the counter liquid medication, such as Mylanta.

Of course, it will be in a very small dose through a dropper because of the child’s size, but it generally is helpful in lessening the discomfort. If this does not seem to be enough to calm the acid reflux symptoms the doctor may recommend taking a prescription medication such a Prevacid or Zantac.

These medications help to stop the production of acid in the stomach, and therefore there is less acid to work back up into the esophagus.

After weeks and weeks of crying after eating and spitting up constantly, my first child was diagnosed with acid reflux. The initial news was disconcerting. It was my first baby, and of course I did not want him to be in any pain or diagnosed with any sort of medical complication.

Our pediatrician reassured us that acid reflux is quite a common condition among babies and with some treatment; he wouldn’t even feel any of the side effects.

Acid reflux is when the contents of the stomach, including both acid and food, work back up into the esophagus sometimes causing pain and discomfort. Sometimes this causes vomiting or a burp that contains some of the acid and/or food. In babies, it is difficult to tell this is happening, as it is quite common for babies to spit up.

If a child spits up or vomits often, and it is accompanied by crying, arching of the back or poor sleeping habits then the child most often is diagnosed with acid reflux. It is true that acid reflux is common in babies, as their muscle closing off the stomach from the esophagus is often not completely formed yet.