Any babies with acid reflux (GERD)? - Infant Care (up to 18 months old) Message Board

dizzygirl · 10-06-2005, 10:47 AM

DS is 5 months old, and has always been a terrible sleeper. I have tried everything, and I am now wondering if it could be a medical issue. I was looking in The Baby Book, by Dr. Sears (I love them), and a lot of his symptoms point to GERD, except spitting up. I have tried mylanta, at the suggestion of my doctor, but it didn't really do anything. I know some friends that use zantac, and it works wonders, but I'm still wondering if it is def. acid reflux. ( I will go to the doctor of course), but I wanted the opinions of other moms. Here are his symptoms:

Poor sleeping habits (really, doesn't sleep at all, and when he does sleep, he wakes up 100 times)
Fussy when nursing
Cries when I burp him, and arches his back, so I can't bend him
Always has the hiccupps

We just introduced solids recentley, and sometimes he cries when he eats too. I am interested in what you all have to say. Thanks.... Carrie

Mom22greatkids · 10-06-2005, 11:36 AM

My son had GERD when he was an infant. He didn't spit up a lot either. He had what is called "silent reflux". We could hear it coming up his throat but he would swallow it back down. I had to hold him while he slept for the first two years of his life. He did go on Zantac but it did not help too much. I have heard of many success stories with it though. I would hold off on the solids for another month or so.

BioAdoptMom3 · 10-06-2005, 10:06 PM

He may need a formula change or if you are nursing, it could be something in your diet, like diary (unless of course you have already explored all of this). If he is sleeping on his back that also could be the problem. Most babies will not sleep very long or very well flat on their backs. Unless he is rolling over on his own anyway, try him on his tummy, in his carseat (you can put it right in the crib) or in his swing. Most babies feel much better (and sleep much better too even if they do not have reflux) in one of those places or positions.

Nancy

Karen62705 · 10-07-2005, 11:21 AM

My son was diagnosed with reflux when he was around 4 weeks old. He had the same symptoms as your son except he was spitting up every feeding, and sometimes projectile vomiting! He was put on Zantac and a different formula, Enfamil AR (added rice) The rice helps to weigh it down in his tummy so it can't come back up. After about a week of Zantac and the AR we had a complety different baby! He was on Zantac for just over a month when we went on vacation, and our routine was off, and we kept forgetting to give it to him.....But he was totally fine without it!! We decided to keep him off, and he's still been fine! Last week we tried to get him off the AR...we did a very gradual transation, and he was fine at first...but the more of the new formula and less AR we gave him the more he started spitting up. It was terrible, so we decided it was not worth it to put him on something different, and he's back to the AR and doing fine again. It also kept him awake at night, but now he sleeps from 8pm untill 5, then has a bottle and goes back to sleep till 8:30-9:00.

Now if your son does have Reflux..."Silent Reflux" I think the Zantac would work wonders for him. Talk to your doctor to get a true diagnosis. Hopefully both of you will get some relief soon!

mom'o'5 · 10-07-2005, 02:12 PM

Hey dizzy, never thought i'd find you here! My boy has AR. He was on zantac, but it made him worse so I took him off. I couldn't breastfeed bc it was so bad. He is on a formula called Alimentum(25$ a can

) and he has improved a bit. My ds had such severe episodes that he would stop breathing. once I called an ambulance and they thought he had a seizure. Dr. says he should grow out of it by the time he is walking, and solids will help ease the acid. His symptoms are/were: lots of spitting up, spit up is clear/white and mucousy like, choking, stop breathing for more than 6 seconds at a time, weight loss. Also, my dr. said to ALWAYS keep him at an incline, even while sleeping. My ds sleeps in his carseat most of the time. Dr. said carseat or baby chair is a good idea. That's my story!