Acid reflux is a problem experienced by millions of people all over the world, and anyone may have experienced an acid reflux symptom at one point or another. This condition is characterized by ingested food rising back up to the esophagus, resulting in a burning, bitter sensation in the throat and in the heart and chest regions.
Causes Of Acid Reflux In Babies
Acid reflux is more common in babies because of their immature stomachs and because of the intake of liquid food. Babies with acid reflux will keep on spitting the meals after they have been fed. There are cases when acid reflux in babies will develop into GERD when they grow older. It is thus better to consult a health expert or a doctor if symptoms of acid reflux persist in your baby. If left untreated, this problem might lead to some other more serious problems.
Acid Reflux Symptoms
Keep an eye on the symptoms related to acid reflux. Some of the common symptoms of acid reflux in babies are:
Eating problems
Babies suffering from acid reflux will often refuse to eat food because eating brings them a feeling of discomfort due to their small stomach. Babies with acid reflux problems will also tend to cry frequently and violently just to refuse the food they are being given. Due to insufficient nutrition, the baby will lose weight, which is also another symptom of acid reflux.
Digestive problems
Babies with acid reflux problems will be having problems with digestion too. They will also experience heartburn, followed by pain in the chest and throat, which unfortunately cannot be expressed in any other way except by crying. In addition, because of the digestion problem, the baby will keep spitting the food he is being given. It is also common for the baby to vomit immediately after eating, with the expelled fluid being either green or yellow in color. The baby will also have bad breath because of this digestive problem.
Sleep problems
Since babies are always in a supine position, acid reflux becomes a common occurrence in them. This is because even after eating, the baby will be kept in a horizontal lying position. This causes the food to flow back to the esophagus from the stomach, resulting in acid reflux. Aside from the discomfort usually felt by any acid reflux patient, this might also lead to sleep problems caused by the discomfort, which would make the baby feisty and irritable.
Upper respiratory problems
Respiratory problems may seem unrelated, but later, they could be major symptoms of acid reflux particularly whenever the food in the stomach goes up to the windpipe. It is very easy to identify this respiratory problem because the baby will be continuously coughing or wheezing and will find difficulty in breathing. This could possibly cause asthma in the baby, too.
If your baby presents with any combination of these symptoms, then immediately consult a doctor to begin with the right treatment in order to get rid of acid reflux early on.
