Dealing with an infant who has reflux is never easy. There are different types of reflux as well. Some infants spit up and some do not, some comfort eat and others refuse food altogether. Needless to say, this can make just diagnosing reflux in an infant very difficult and reflux is often mistaken for colic. Here is a list of the top 10 articles on reflux to help you understand what reflux is, how to get it diagnosed, and more importantly, how to treat it.
1. Infant GER and GERD: Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment of Reflux
This article does a nice job at explaining the different between GER (Gastroesophageal Reflux) and GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease). It gives some basic tips for making like easier for a baby with GER.
2. Reflux (GERD) in Infants
Diagnosing reflux can be very difficult if your infant does not spit up a lot. This is known as “Silent Reflux” and the author of this article does a great job at discussing these difficult cases from dealing with doctors to which medications are commonly given.
3. Raising a Milk Intolerant Child
Often times reflux will be secondary to somethign else. Milk allergies tend to run hand in hand with acid reflux and babies. Thsi article gives a good accoutning how hot to deal with milk allergies and intolerances.
4. Infant Reflux: Symptoms and Suggestions
This article does a nice job at explaining the basics of reflux. How to recognize it and what you can do if you think your child has it.
5. The Symptoms of Silent Reflux
Silent reflux is a condition in where the infant does not actually spit up. The food contents still reflux up through the esophagus, but the infant will swallow them back down. This article explains how to recognize silent reflux, how to speak to your doctor about it (it’s often confused with colic), and what treatments are available.
6. Help for Five Common Infant Problems
Granted, this article is not solely about reflux, but I felt it important to add to the list. Crying newborns are very stressful and it’s so hard sometimes to figure out what’s wrong. This article gives some great information on different possibilities (including reflux) to help understand what might be wrong with your infant.
7. Tips for Helping a Baby With Acid Reflux
There are some great suggestions in this article for how to help an infant who has reflux including some practical tips you can use around the house like elevating a bed.
8.Failure to Thrive – Examining the Causes and Treatment Options
Failure to thrive can occur when a child refuses to eat due to infant reflux and other conditions. This article goes into detail about what failure to thrive means.
9. Acid Reflux Causes Choking in Newborn Babies
Often times reflux can cause choking in an infant, especially with silent reflux (a non-spitter). This article gives a good accounting of one person’s struggle with her infant choking due to reflux.
10. Pediatric GERD – Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: Symptoms, Complications & Treatments
GERD is an often confusing term and this article goes into detail on just what pediatric GERD is as well as some of the complications that can happen due to reflux.
Hopefully some of these articles will be helpful to you. It is often difficult to diagnose an infant with reflux or GERD. The best thing you can do is educate yourself and be informed. Have all of the necessary information to report to your pediatrician. Keep a journal of your infant’s feedings and crying sessions. All of these things can help diagnose an infant. Reflux is never easy to deal with and creates a lot of stress, both on the infant and the family.