Reflux in the baby – what does it mean?
If your baby spits or vomits regularly and for long periods of time during the first few months of life, this may indicate reflux. In our article you can find out what reflux is, what symptoms speak for it and how it is treated.
What is reflux?
The so-called gastroesophageal reflux is a disease in which food porridge and stomach fluids flow back into the esophagus instead of traveling to the intestines. Reflux often occurs in children in the first months of life and is usually not a cause for concern as long as no other side effects are triggered. There are basically two types:
- Pysiological gastroesophageal reflux: With this form of reflux, there are no other side effects. Your child will not experience any impairment in his development.
- Pathological gastroesophageal reflux: If the reflux of the stomach contents into the esophagus persists over a longer period of time, further symptoms occur or the esophageal mucosa is affected, reflux is considered pathological.
It is not always easy for doctors to assess whether reflux is still safe or whether the line to serious illness has already been crossed. Especially in infants, temporary phases of spitting and vomiting are normal. This is partly due to the fact that the lower esophageal closure function is not yet fully developed.
How does reflux develop?
Reflux can have both congenital and non-congenital organic causes. In addition, it can occur as a consequence of another disease. The following causes are typical:
- Disturbance of esophageal movement
- Impairment of the lower esophageal closure
- shallow attachment of the stomach to the esophagus
- a too wide passage point between the oesophagus and diaphragm
- Displacement of the stomach towards the chest
- Malformations of the esophagus and stomach
- Food allergies
Also, taking certain medications orsmoking during pregnancyor breastfeeding can promote reflux in your child.
Side effects and symptoms of reflux
A reflux can trigger various side effects in your baby, which do not always clearly indicate reflux and can occur in very different forms from child to child. Possible side effects and corresponding symptoms in your baby can manifest themselves as follows:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Oesophagitis
- Screaming and restlessness during and after food intake
- Overextension of head and upper body
- bloody stool
- Sleep disturbances and nocturnal crying attacks after waking up
- Heartburn
- lack of weight gain due to constant vomiting
- Refusal of food
- Earache
- Aspiration, that is, parts of the stomach contents can get into the lungs when flowing back. This in turn can lead to pneumonia, chronic respiratory diseases and, in the worst case, respiratory arrest.
Especially in infants, it is difficult to recognize certain symptoms such as heartburn and associate them with reflux because they are not yet able to express what they are lacking.
How is reflux detected?
A clear diagnosis is difficult. All the more important is a detailed survey by your doctor, the so-called anamnesis, in which you should give him information about symptoms and the general medical history of your child. For the final diagnosis, the following methods are available to your doctor, for example:
- Long-term ph-metry: Using a special probe, the doctor measures the acid level at a specific point on your child’s esophagus over a period of 24 hours. The evaluation of the acid values takes place later on the computer.
- Sonography: Your child’s abdomen will be examined by ultrasound to determine how often stomach contents flow back into the esophagus.
- X-ray contrast examination: Here, the doctor can determine how much stomach contents flow back into your child’s esophagus. Malformations of the diaphragm can also be detected in this way.
- Oesophageal or gastroscopy: This method is used in adult patients rather than children.
How is reflux treated?
If your doctor has diagnosed reflux in your child, further treatment will depend on the severity. Often reflux heals on its own and without special therapy. Nevertheless, there are some measures you can take to support your child’s healing process:
- If you are still breastfeeding, keep this for a while and avoid coffee, alcohol, fatty foods, citrus fruits, tomatoes and carbonated drinks if possible.
- If you are taking medication and breastfeeding, consult your doctor. Certain preparations, such as adrenergics or xanthines, can trigger or intensify reflux in your child.
- If you are not breastfeeding, it is best to usespecial formulato feed your baby.
- Several small meals are better than a few larger meals.
- Be sure to hold your child in a vertical position for about half an hour after meals.
- Make sure that your child sleeps with his upper body slightly higher.
- Refrain from smoking.
If all these measures do not help or are not enough, the doctor will prescribe certain medications for your child. These are necessary anyway if it has already come to esophageal inflammation. In particularly severe cases, your child may also need to be hospitalized or referred to a specialist. Also, a particularly severe course of the disease may require surgery. This can also be the case with certain malformations that are decisive for reflux.