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A friend of mine has a new baby…. and he has reflux…. (been diagnosed by the paediatrician). Any tips to help both her and baba cope, as she is struggling something terrible. Breastfed baba. Doc has given her medication, but she is hoping for some natural help…. ? Mine both had colic… but didn’t have to deal with reflux, so I’m not much help…
My DD had reflux when she was younger I found the tips below very useful. I was given it to read by someone but cant remember who! 😳
nGastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR/reflux) occurs when food and stomach acid flows back into the oesophagus (foodpipe). The exact cause is unknown, but may be associated with an immature digestive system, hereditary factors, food sensitivities, and other medical issues which results in weakening of the valve between the stomach and the oesophagus.
For many children and their families, this causes no real problems, and may simply be a nuisance until it is outgrown. Although there can still be family strains and anguish prior to diagnosis, this form can often be successfully controlled by simple remedies such as keeping the baby upright, and/or reassuring the parents.
There can be, however, a more serious side to reflux in children. When the reflux causes complications or long term problems, it is considered to be gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). It persists despite simple lifestyle measures and can, at times, be a serious medical problem. Medical intervention is often necessary, which usually involves the child having medication and/or investigations, and further treatments may need to be established.
There is a lot of confusion and misunderstanding surrounding gastro-oesophageal reflux disease because it is still generally referred to as ‘reflux’ within the community, with no distinction made for its severity. As a result, GORD families often struggle to cope.
How does reflux present?
Reflux commonly presents with vomiting or posseting but there are other signs children can present with. Some babies reflux without it coming out of their mouths (termed silent reflux) which can cause more damage, but be more difficult to diagnose.
The list below gives a general overview of some of the signs that may be displayed. A child with reflux will not necessarily display all of them, and the number of signs exhibited does not indicate the severity of their ‘reflux’.
Irritability/crying/screaming
Vomiting/regurgitating or posseting
Appearing to be in pain
Repeated hiccups
Hoarse voice
Feeding problems, e.g. refusal to feed or only taking a small amount despite being hungry, comfort feeding, feeding frequently, pulling away and arching their back, crying/screaming during or after feeds, gagging/spluttering
Sleeping issues, e.g. catnapping during the day, frequent night waking (though some refluxers do sleep well at night), easily disturbed from sleep, or restless
Respiratory issues, e.g. choking, wheezing/coughing, recurrent chest infections
Failure to thrive
Recurrent ear, throat or sinus infections
Congestion, ‘snuffling’ or appearing to have a cold
If you suspect your child may have gastro-oesophageal reflux, or have any concerns, it is important to discuss this with your child’s doctor or child health nurse as there can be other reasons for their behaviour.
Management hints
1. Keep your baby upright for at least 30 minutes after a feed.2. Use a baby sling, which allows you to keep your child upright, while keeping your hands free. Avoid baby slumping.
3. Try elevating the head of the cot/bassinet
4. Consider using a dummy.
5. Avoid vigorous movements or bouncing the baby.
6. The best time to lay your baby on the floor is when baby’s tummy is empty, i.e. before a feed
7. Change nappy before a feed. Take care to elevate the baby’s head and shoulders. Avoid lifting the legs too high, and turn to the side if possible.
8. Avoid any tight clothing around the waist, such as tight nappies, elastic waistbands.
9. Avoid overfeeding – if the baby vomits, wait until the next feeding rather than feeding them again.
10. If the baby is bottle-fed, it may be worthwhile trying AR (anti-reflux) formula, or a hypoallergenic one.
11. Offer a spoonful of thickened milk (formula or breastmilk) following the feed.
12. If breastfeeding, avoid foods that can aggravate reflux such as citrus, tomato, fatty foods, spicy foods, chocolate and carbonated drinks.
13. Some reflux children may suffer from food sensitivities, and may need dietary restrictions (or the mother may consider an elimination diet). If you suspect foods may be responsible for your child’s condition, it is essential to discuss this with your health care provider. Do not change your or your child’s diet before seeking medical advice.
14. Avoid exposure to tobacco smoke.
15. Contact a reflux support organisation for further information and support. The effect on the baby AND the family can be devastating and support groups can provide more detailed information, and offer the emotional support you may need.
Effects on Families
Reflux is so common it is almost seen as ‘normal’, or even trivial, and most people just don’t understand how difficult life can be for many families, or understand the impact reflux can have on their lives! They may think of it erroneously as ‘just a bit of vomiting’, or ‘just a behavioural issue’. They don’t see how it impacts on the child’s eating, sleeping, growth, behaviour or quality of life; or on the family’s quality of life, relationships between partners, siblings or other children; finances; and even leisure time. The truth is, only families who have experienced it for themselves really understand.
Many families:Have difficulty getting people to believe just how bad the vomiting and/or the screaming really are.
Receive conflicting and confusing advice,
Become socially isolated,
Feel like failures as parents,
Have family and friends who just didn’t understand
Even when a baby is suffering from relatively uncomplicated reflux, families often need reassurance, and enjoy talking to someone who understands. For the families whose infants suffer complications, it is even more important that they can talk to other parents, and have the support, reassurance and understanding they need to get through this stressful experience.
Survival Tips1. Don’t expect that you have all the answers from the beginning – it is a really steep learning curve, and chances are you didn’t know much about reflux before this!
2. These babies are not born with a manual, and there are generally no right or wrong answers on how to best handle this. They are all individual, and what works for one may not work for another. It really is a matter of trial and error until you find something that works for you and your family.
3. Accept you are doing your best, and try not to be too hard on yourself.
4. Try to focus on what you are doing right, not on what you feel is going wrong. You aren’t doing anything wrong; you just may not have worked out the best answers yet.
5. Infants with reflux can be VERY high needs babies – only most family and friends don’t seem to ever understand that.
6. This is NOT your fault and you are NOTdoing anything wrong!
7. Trust your instincts. Do what feels right for you and your baby and family, and do what works (but remember to discuss issues with your doctor first).
8. Look after yourself- not only are YOU as important as your baby, but who’s there to look after them if you fall apart?
9. Reflux can flare when anything stresses them- hot sticky weather is a common trigger, along with over-tiredness (vicious cycle), change in routine, colds, infections, teething, vaccinations etc. Sometimes it can help to know that, so that any changes make more sense.
10. Take each day as it comes, and just maybe it helps to know that life really can get better, no matter how hard it is right now. Remember though, if you aren’t coping, please ask for help, and seek medical guidance
HTH
SuzieQ 😀would the clevamama baby pillow be helpful to her I wonder? that elevates the baby’s head slightly. I heard its good for avoiding flat heads in babies but maybe it could work for reflux too?
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