Infant Acid Reflux
Most babies spit up a little. The technical term for this is Gastro-Esophageal Reflux (GER). The condition is common and affects most babies, usually without causing any pain. In some rare cases GER is less benign. If GER persists and is painful, it goes by the name of Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). GERD can be so serious that it leads to erosion of the esophagus, reluctance to eat and resulting weight loss.
The preferred treatments of infant GERD are non-medical remedies such as thickening of foods and making sure the baby stays upright after meals. If this doesn't help, pediatricians sometimes prescribe adult heartburn medications. Knowledge of how medication designed for adults affects children is incomplete. Caution is in order, as there are some horror stories involving certain GERD medications such as Propulsid (Cisapride). However Cisapride has been put on a limited-access program since July 2000 and is no longer marketed in the United States. Some pediatricians feel that medication is not usually necessary for treatment of GERD, most pediatricians advise judicious use of medication. There is also some debate on whether colic is sometimes confused with GERD and vice-versa.
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