Infant Reflux Treatment

Colic or Reflux?

If you suspect or have been told that your baby has colic, you may want to consider the possibility that your infant may have reflux. This may not be the answer for all colicky babies, but in my experience and based on my conversations with other mothers, reflux is very common and is very often misdiagnosed as colic.

Symptoms

These are some of the more common symptoms of reflux. Your infant may only have some of them, and may have other symptoms that are not listed.

• Spitting up frequently
• Vomiting
• Unexplained crying
• Poor sleep; frequent waking
• Fighting during feeding
• Arching neck or back during feeding
• Frequent hiccups
• Congestion
• Wheezing
• Coughing
• Hoarseness
• Strange odor on breath
• Poor weight gain
• Frequent choking episodes

Important: There are a couple of common misconceptions about reflux:

First, your infant does not have to be losing weight to have reflux. On the contrary, many reflux babies actually overeat because eating eases the pain.

Second, your baby does not have to be spitting up to have reflux. This is known as "silent reflux" and can actually be harder on your baby because their esophagus is getting burned by the acid on the way up and again when it goes back down. It's also a lot harder to recognize as reflux.

Talking to your pediatrician About Your Infant Reflux Treatment

If your baby is exhibiting signs of reflux, you should talk to your pediatrician about it. Be forewarned though that many pediatricians only consider reflux to be a problem if the baby isn't gaining weight properly. Beyond that, many seem to think it's merely a laundry problem for an overreacting parent and will tell you that your baby will grow out of it and send you an your way. Yes, your baby will grow out of it, but if your baby is experiencing pain and discomfort from reflux, there's no reason why he should have to suffer while he's growing out of it! You need to make sure that your doctor understands that your baby is in pain and that you're not complaining about the laundry. And if he still doesn't listen, find another doctor. (That's what I and many other mothers have had to do.)

What you can do to relieve symptoms?

Formula
Reflux is sometimes due to protein sensitivity, allergy or other intolerance. Your baby may do better on a soy formula, but many babies who don't tolerate milk well are also sensitive to soy proteins as well. Talk to your pediatrician about formula options. There are hypoallergenic formulas such as Alimentum and Nutramigen that may help. They're expensive, but if they help, it's worth every penny. (And I've heard that some insurance companies may cover these specialized formulas if prescribed by a doctor.)

Another option is to thicken formula with rice cereal. Again, talk to your pediatrician about it. Many doctors will tell you that it's okay to add up to 1 tsp. of rice cereal per ounce of formula. Or you can use a pre-thickened formula like Enfamil AR. It's more convenient, and you don't have to deal with clogged nipples. (Note: Rice cereal can cause gassiness and constipation, so you might want to introduce it gradually to see if your baby tolerates it well.)

:idea Tip: If you thicken your own formula, try running the dry cereal through a blender first to make it really fine. Then prepare all the bottles the night before. This gives the cereal a chance to really thicken the formula.

Positioning

Let gravity help your baby whenever possible. Keeping your baby upright during feeding and for 30-45 minutes afterwards will help a lot. Also, many reflux babies have a really hard time laying flat to sleep. My baby was always very restless, noisy, and constantly squirming and grunting. It took me a while to figure out why. :rolleyes Finding a sleeping position that will be comfortable for your baby can be quite a challenge.

Here are a few suggestions:

• Let him sleep in a car seat or bouncy seat
• Elevate the head end of the crib by placing books under the legs
• Elevate the head end of the crib mattress by placing a pillow or quilt underneath
• Use a crib wedge
• Use a Tucker Sling

Infant Reflux Treatment In Medications

It's always preferable if you can relieve your baby's symptoms just by making changes in his feeding and positioning, but if you've tried all that and your baby is still suffering, there are a few medications that you might want to ask your pediatrician about. Most are only willing to prescribe Zantac and Reglan. To get a prescription for Prilosec or Prevacid, you will probably have to get a referral to a pediatric GI.

• OTC antacids such as Maalox and Mylanta (the adult strength liquid); Mylanta Supreme is cherry flavored. :yummie Ask your doctor or pharmacist what the proper dosage is for your baby's weight.
• Zantac (Rx) - neutralizes the acid so that it doesn't "burn" as much; well tolerated by most babies, few side effects
• Reglan (Rx) - a motility drug (helps empty stomach faster); miracle drug for some, but many babies don't tolerate it well at all, and there are some pretty scary side effects
• Prilosec or Prevacid (Rx) - acid blockers (PPI-Proton Pump Inhibitor); greatly reduce the amount of acid produced by the stomach

Infant Reflux Treatment In Natural Remedy

Colic Calm. Although originally designed to treat colic baby, many parents have also reported great success in alleviating infant reflux. Unlike prescription drugs that are commonly prescribed these days, this natural remedy does not alter the balance of babies' delicate digestive systems. In fact, the homeopathics in Colic Calm stimulate the body's self-healing properties.

Colic Calm gripewater also helps baby's digestive system adjust to new foods, relieves hiccups and soothes stomach upset that often results from increased saliva production during teething.

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