How to Tell if Your Baby Has Colic or Reflux

As parents, we all desire our babe to exist happy, comfortable and salubrious. It can be extremely hard to watch our child suffer from the discomfort caused by reflux. Not to mention the sleepless nights both parent and child will oftentimes take to suffer.

In this commodity, I will highlight the most important information virtually infant reflux including the symptoms, causes, and potential treatments options. As well, I volition mention the differences betwixt gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), just to make sure that you're well-informed when it comes to identifying them.

1. What Is Infant Reflux?
2. 4 Causes of Babe Reflux
3. How to Tell If Your Baby Has Reflux?
4. How does Infant Reflux Diagnosed?
5. Reflux in Breastfed Babies
6. v Treatments for Infant Reflux
7. Surgery for Infants
8. five Preventive Measures of Baby Reflux
9. Conclusion

What Is Babe Reflux?

source: anatomy medicine

Acid reflux is the term used to draw what happens when your baby ends upwardly spitting up whatever they've swallowed. This is due to the stomach contents (i.e. milk and acid) coming back into the gullet or the mouth.

In some cases, it'southward completely natural for your infant to have reflux. In fact, the good news is that information technology normally passes by the time your baby reaches a year old.

Nigh babies have a small degree of reflux considering the muscular valve which is meant to shop any consumed food (i.due east. milk, vegetables, and fruit) is still to be fully developed. In other words, when your baby'south tum is full, milk and food can inevitably come support. When and if your little one brings up a very small quantity of the 2, and so that is called posseting. This breezy term is usually used to describe what happens when babies burp, which results in the unfortunate spitting up over the shoulder. Commonly, this is not a cause for worry.

4 Causes of Infant Reflux

i. Positioning

Positioning can affect your baby'due south reflux. The good part nigh it is that it's such a elementary, low-cost treatment which can be tried past parents, way before at that place is whatsoever need to think of expensive treatment options such as medication. Thus, if your baby is suffering from infant reflux, try maintaining horizontal positions which may help reduce acid reflux.

two. Overfeeding

source: Parenting

Needless to say, when your baby's abdomen is full, milk tin come back up the way it went in. This is due to a couple of reasons, and an evident i is the size of your baby's tum. Every bit a newborn, your baby'south tummy is non much bigger than a hazelnut. So, you've guessed it; fifty-fifty a niggling food can turn into likewise much when it comes to a newborn baby.

The skilful news, however, is that in that location is going to be a continuous improvement in the growth of your baby's stomach, ranging from the tummy having the size of a walnut to the size of a large egg by day 10.

Perhaps the best matter to know is that a staggering 90% of babies who have acrid reflux get better on their ain before the end of their first year of life.

Using a slow flow bottle may aid to foreclose overfeeding at some indicate.

three. Food intolerance to foods such as garlic, tomato, onions, chocolate, etc.

Much similar annihilation that comes with existence a new parent, there is a trial and error period. It'due south a no-brainer that some babies are more sensitive than others and that at that place is no one-size-fits solution. Unfortunately, your doctor is often unable to tell y'all exactly what non to feed your babe or what is causing the discomfort. You lot will only demand to exist observant when trying new foods out for your infant.

4. Eating too much before bedtime

Again, this is very similar to adults. If you cull to feed your infant before bed, you might finish upwards having a restless and upset fiddling one for obvious reasons. Eating excessively before bed might not let digestion to take identify, resulting in hurting and involuntary vomiting. Instead of hurrying your picayune one to bed right away, try burping your kid and waiting at least one-half an hour which gives just enough time for proper digestion to take place.

How to Tell If Your Babe Has Reflux?

1. Persistent coughing, hiccups or gagging

source: baby kitted

According to inquiry, the terms wet burp or wet hiccup are used to draw the reaction a baby might have when eating (i.e. spitting up liquid when they burp or hiccup).

2. Frequent vomiting and irritability during feeding

Equally a parent, you might already be aware that your little i can ofttimes spit upwardly his feeds or be irritable. It could be a short passing phase though which is not a cause for worry. However, you should annotation that infants suffering from reflux may start screaming and crying in a distressed andprolonger way during feeding. This is usually due to the abdominal discomfort and is a sign of reflux.

3. Disturbed sleep

It will non come as a surprise that infants with reflux can feel discomfort or irritation, which in turn, will not let your little one go to sleep or stay asleep for long. This will more than probable hateful that you won't go to slumber either! One trick to overcome that problem is trying is to feed your babe manner before bedtime, and so as to let for whatsoever food to fully settle.

4. Difficulty swallowing, or pain when swallowing

Because of pain and emotional distress, your baby may turn down to consume, which volition but crusade you farther worry. This hurting might be due to the irritation that occurs when food comes support the oesophagus.

5. Poor weight loss or gain

Due to the constant vomiting, weight loss or failure to gain weight may be inevitable.

How does Infant Reflux Diagnosed?

If y'all've ever been "lucky" enough to take a doctor'due south appointment, so you volition know that the first step whatsoever doctor will take is a verbal consultation. In the example of infant reflux, this volition include wanting to know as much every bit possible nearly potential symptoms, their perseverance (i.e. for how long your infant has been feeling a certain way), and how severe they are, in your opinion.

Later, a concrete exam will accept identify. If the doctor determines that your baby is salubrious, happy, and growing as expected, so further testing won't be a priority or necessity. However, if there is any cause for concern, your doctor might recommend the following:

1. Lab tests

Blood and urine sample are ordinarily required to either place or dominion out possible causes of recurring vomiting and poor weight gain.

2. X-Rays

In many cases, doctors make use of X-Ray images, as they are highly capable in determining abnormalities in the digestive system. These images are considered to be a safety procedure that uses radiations to obtain a articulate picture of the upper GI tract.

3. Ultrasound

This is used to discover pyloric stenosis, which is a condition blocking food from entering the baby's small intestine.

4. Oesophageal pH Monitoring

source: med scape

Meant to measure the acidity in the baby'soesophagus, the medical examiner volition insert a tube through the baby's nose and mouth, and the device which is now fastened will decide the tum acidity we previously discussed.

five. Upper Endoscopy

This is a more invasive procedure, equally it involves having a special tube inserted through your baby's mouth and into tooesophagus. For parents, such a technique could crusade the shedding of a few tears, fifty-fifty at the bare idea of it, still this process allows for tissue samples to be collected for assay, and the all-time news of all is that the baby is under general anaesthesia, significant that there will be little discomfort or pain.

Reflux in Breastfed Babies

According to studies, acid reflux is far less common in breastfed babies, meaning that breastfed babies show fewer and less severe reflux episodes.

It appears that in that location is considerable bear witness backing up this claim, as it's been proven that human milk is less irritating than its artificial counterpart. Additionally, human milk is highly nutritious and is sometimes prescribed every bit an efficient and quick method of treating gastroesophageal reflux.

This is because breastmilk is packed with allowed factors, non solely antibodies, just other nutrients which protect from bacteria and viruses. Breast milk forms a protective barrier which protects your babe from microorganisms designed to infect and invade the body.

If breastfeed baby persist with reflux event, Sarah Channa provides some guidance on how to handle them well.

Another important affair any parent should also accept into business relationship is environmental factors. Since our bodies are sponges to outside factors (i.e. tobacco, alcohol, caffeine), information technology'southward of import to endeavour to eliminate, as much as possible, whatever such potential gamble factors.

Lastly, when information technology comes to infant reflux, many studies point to the fact that up to half of all gastro-oesophageal issues might chronicle to allergies acquired by cow's milk protein, which is the synthetic stuff found in bogus milk.

If you have twin babies, check out NW London Twins in-depth guide on twins with reflux diagnosis.

five Treatments for Baby Reflux

And then what can you, as a mom or dad, practice in club to treat infant reflux, in a more natural mode?

i. Calm and relaxed environment

The reality is that much similar adults, infants thrive in a more relaxed environment. This means that babies volition prefer not to exist stressed by any external factor (eastward.g. loud noises, distractions). In the same style, whatever internal changes to the trunk (i.e. due to caffeine, tobacco) can take a negative impact on infant reflux.

ii. Burp your infant more oftentimes

source: Styles at Life – Learn how to burp infant here

Additionally, endeavor burping babies as often equally possible, as this may help with reflux symptoms. This also means avoiding big meals earlier bedtime and giving smaller but more frequent feedings. If for some reasons breastfeeding is non an option, don't guilt-trip yourself, just try to switch the type of formula you lot usually use, just in case this may be a contributing factor. Alternatively, watch out for air gulping by double-checking the bottle and the canteen nipple (i.e. attempt different sizes).

3. Thicken formula or breastmilk

You may likewise cull to thicken the formula or breast milk, just try to do information technology every bit gradually equally possible. For case, your medico may advise adding cereal to thicken the formula. It has not yet been proven that this treatment is effective. However, information technology doesn't hurt to attempt, every bit many doctors advise giving information technology a go before resorting to using medication.

4. Lay your baby on the left

Additionally, studies have revealed that lying on the left side and on their tummy might improve acid reflux. Nevertheless, annotation that placing the infant in the belly-downwards position should only exist done when the child is awake and heavily monitored. This is due to SIDS, which is increased by babies sleeping in this decumbent position.

Concluding simply not least, positioning plays a vital role. According to extensive research, reflux is at its worst when babies lie flat on their dorsum. Try to avoid compressing your baby's abdomen by having tight nappies or letting them stay in bent positions. Too, dressing your little one in loose clothing can aid alleviate pain or discomfort.

Notwithstanding, every bit mentioned earlier, there is no right or wrong answer. Each infant has their needs and personalities, thus what may piece of work for one might fail for some other. Experiment to observe what works best for your baby.

v. Using Prescription Medicine for Babe Reflux

If all the above advice has failed, your doctor may end up prescribing medication for your baby. This isn't unremarkably a necessary step, but in some more severe cases it may be recommended:

• Alginates – a table salt of alginic acid, this medication forms a protective barrier over the within of your baby's breadbasket, stopping foodfromtraveling up and sad theoesophagus, which would ultimately result in vomiting or spitting up
• Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and H2-receptor antagonists – this grade of medication is meant to help reduce the stomach's acidity level, and this is done and so that the breadbasket contents don't crusade more discomfort and pain to the oesophagus.

Merely remember, some medication could preclude absorption of calcium and iron. Therefore they should only be used in extreme situations, and under the advice of your doc. Moreover, if your kid is prescribed reflux medications, keep in heed that dosages need to be monitored and adapted, as the baby grows.

Surgery for Infants

Surgery aiming to reduce infant reflux is unremarkably a last option for babies who have not benefited from whatever holistic handling or medication. A doctor may conclude that surgery is the best course of action if, for case, your baby or child experience heartburn (i.east. chest or stomach burn), or in other more farthermost cases, when at that place is a narrowing of theoesophagus. Additionally, babies who endure from any lung infection or a chronic cough might require surgery, if brash by your doctor.

The about common type of anti-reflux surgery is called fundoplication. This process is only used in severe cases (e.chiliad. reflux causing animate problems, or negatively influencing growth), and it ordinarily takes ii to 3 hours.

During the surgery, the infant is usually put under general anesthesia, meaning that no pain will exist felt during it. A gastrostomy tube (otherwise called a g-tube) would be inserted by the medico, should your child have swallowing or feeding problems. This tube helps with feeding and releases air from your child'south stomach

Another type of surgery, called pyloroplasty, may also be considered as an option. This procedure is meant to widen the opening betwixt the breadbasket and minor intestine so that the stomach tin digest and process food easier.

5 Preventive Measures of Baby Reflux

Before thinking of the worst scenarios, annotation that in that location are alternative treatments (like the ones mentioned in a higher place). If your baby has not even had this issue, there are some preventative measures which if followed, can ensure that he volition not suffer from reflux.

1. Avoiding Overfeeding

This means trying to provide smaller and more frequent meals, while not letting your baby get actually hungry earlier yous feed him, not fifty-fifty during Baby-Led weaning process

ii. Positioning

Feed your baby in an upright position, and try to agree your baby upright for 20 minutes to 30 minutes subsequently each feed. Alternatively, try raising your baby'southward head, even property him or her in your arms while feeding.

3. Burping your baby

If you are unable to breastfeed and thus apply a bottle, endeavour burping him every two minutes or iii minutes during feeds, making sure that y'all're using the correct size nipple to avoid air bubbles from forming.

4. Thicken milk

Every bit mentioned above, despite there being piddling to no evidence suggesting that this will piece of work, many doctors recommend adding cereal to make your baby's milk thicker. This is done because thicker milk can aid your infant not to spit food right back upwardly. Still, you should always cheque with your md before trying this approach.

5. Article of clothing

Loosen your baby'due south diapers to avoid putting pressure on the tummy, especially during feeding!

Decision

To sum up, there are a multifariousness of reasons for which your infant might suffer from infant reflux, and in that location are many variations of the condition (i.e. gastro-oesophageal reflux, gastroesophageal reflux disease, or silent reflux).

1 of the symptoms that parents should wait out for is frequent and recurrent vomiting. As we've mentioned before, reflux can sometimes exist a temporary problem, ane that is likely to gear up itself over time. Withal if your baby is more than posseting (meaning bringing upwardly small quantities of milk) after a meal, it may withal exist worth consulting with your dr..

Persistent cough during and after eating, or alternatively signs of heartburn, gas or abdominal spasms tin be a good indication of acid reflux. However, if issues do persist, they tin can appear in the form of nutrient refusal or decreased rate of growth.

For any worried parents, there any many preventative measures which tin exist adopted. Alternatively, doctors may advise using medication, and in certain farthermost cases, surgery volition be recommended to stop the onset of more serious respiratory or digestive problems.

All in all, your medico is the best option in determining the correct grade of activity, and you can trust that all avenues volition exist investigated before resorting to medication or surgery.

Yous are welcome to share your experience with babe reflux in the comments beneath. Practice you take whatever additional tips to add?

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Source: https://babyjourney.net/infant-reflux/

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