GER occurs often in normal infants. More than half of all babies experience reflux in the first 3 months of life. An infant with GER may experience
- spitting
- vomiting
- coughing
- irritability
- poor feeding
- blood in the stools
Only a small number of infants have severe symptoms due to GER. Most infants stop spitting up between the ages of 12 to 18 months.
In a small number of babies, GER may result in symptoms that are of concern. These include problems such as
- poor growth due to an inability to hold down enough food
- irritability or refusing to feed due to pain
- blood loss from acid burning the esophagus
- breathing problems
These problems can be caused by disorders other than GER. Your health care provider needs to determine if GER is causing your child's symptom(s).
The treatment of reflux depends on the infant's symptoms and age. Some babies may not need treatment, because GER often resolves by itself. Healthy, happy babies may only need their feedings thickened with cereal and to be kept upright after they are fed. Overfeeding can aggravate reflux, so your health care provider may suggest different ways of handling feedings. For example, smaller quantities with more frequent feeding can help decrease the chances of regurgitating. If a food allergy is suspected, you may be asked to change the baby's formula, or to modify your diet if you are breastfeeding, for 1 to 2 weeks. If a child is not growing well, feedings with higher calorie content or tube feeding may be recommended.
An infant who spits or vomits may have GER. The doctor or nurse will talk with you about your child's symptoms and will examine your child. If the infant is healthy, happy, and growing well, no tests or treatment may be needed. Tests may be ordered to help determine whether your child's symptoms are related to GER. Sometimes, treatment is started without tests.
