It sounds bizarre but it is true that children tend to suffer from acid reflux.
Under normal conditions, food passes via the esophagus and the muscle existing at the bottom part of the esophagus closes off.
The process is to facilitate food and liquids to remain inside the stomach.
This muscle is known as Lower Esophageal Sphincter or LES.
If the LES is not able to close properly, the contents of the stomach and acid have the tendency to settle in the esophagus.
Usually GER, Gastroesophageal Reflux, starts in infancy.
However, only a few infants continue to live with GER when they become old.
It usually fades away when the physician advices medicines for the child.
A) Here are some symptoms of acid reflux in children: a)Pain in the abdomen, especially above the belly button b)Pain in the chest, Intolerance of pressure on the stomach c)Burning sensation in the esophagus d)Drooling or excessive salivation e)Being extremely choosy about food, Refusing food f)Frequent ear infections, Congestion in the ear g)Eating less despite hunger h)Poor sleep, Frequent walking from the sleeping i)Hoarseness, Choking j)Nagging dry cough k)Poor weight gain, Weight loss l)Cough especially at night m)Respiratory problems It is very easy to diagnose acid reflux in children.
Usually the paediatrist will base a diagnosis on the symptoms of your child as well as a physical examination.
You may also require to produce certain tests in order to verify the diagnosis.
B) Here are some of the tests you can require to be produced: a)Lab tests These consist of different blood and urine tests in order to determine the actual causes of recurring vomiting or weight loss.
b)pH monitoring The esophageal PH monitoring is required to measure the acidity present inside the esophagus.
c)Upper endoscopy A tube having a camera lens and light is inserted into stomach and esophagus via the child's mouth.
This procedure is of utter importance to determine the narrowness or inflammation of the stomach.
C) The treatment: The course of the treatment depends on the age and symptoms of the child.
The doctor may prescribe certain lifestyle changes in order to see if it provides relief from acid reflux symptoms.
In case, the problem persists, the doctor will suggest any of the following remedies.
a)Acid suppressors Help in suppressing the production of acid inside the stomach.
Some of the main acid suppressors include Axid, Tagamet, Zantac and Pepcid.
b)Antacids Work towards neutralizing stomach acid.
Some of the antacids include Tums, Maalox and Mylanta.
c)Acid Blockers These block the production of acid completely inside the stomach, and they are Protonix, Prevacid, Nexium and Aciphex.
It is not difficult to treat acid reflux condition in children.
All you need to do is to keep track of all the symptoms of this disease and treat on time.
Visit the doctor as soon as you see any of the symptoms of this disease.