Infant Reflux: Causes, Symptoms & Management

Acid reflux, also called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is a common condition affecting people of all ages, but more than half of all babies under three months are afflicted with GERD. Most infants with reflux are normal and healthy and need only minor lifestyle changes to control their discomfort.

Definition

• Reflux disease occurs when the contents of the stomach back up into the esophagus, or gullet, resulting in vomiting, spitting up or coughing. It usually happens after feeding but can occur anytime baby cries, coughs or strains.

Causes

• In young babies, the ring of muscle between the esophagus and stomach is immature and therefore may open too often, allowing stomach contents to back up into the esophagus.

Complications

• Most infants with reflux are healthy and have relatively minor symptoms, but some may experience poor growth due to an inability to keep food down, breathing problems, or irritability or refusal to feed.

Treatment

• Some babies need only to spend time upright after eating or eat smaller, more frequent meals to solve the problem of reflux. Medication--infant does of adult heartburn medication like Tagamet or Zantac--or even surgery may be recommended in more serious cases, however.

Relief

• Acid reflux tends to go away on its own. Most infants stop spitting up in reaction to the condition between 12 and 18 months of age.