Heartburn / GERD

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Infants and Children with Acid Reflux

Children, and even infants, can suffer from heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease. Here you'll find information on childhood acid reflux and treatment information.
What You Need to Know About Acid Reflux in Children
Many people consider acid reflux an adult problem. While that may be true in many cases, children, and even infants, can suffer from acid reflux. Learning the symptoms of acid reflux in children, how it's diagnosed and treated, is important.
What You Need to Know About GERD in Teens
While chronic heartburn and GERD are often considered to be adult disorders, it is becoming more common among children and teens. Because of the increasing consumption of fast food and ever-expanding waistlines among teens, GERD is becoming an increasing problem in teenagers.
What You Need to Know About GERD in Children
GER often begins in infancy, but only a small number of infants continue to have GER as older children. Evaluation by a physician is advised for any child or adolescent with persistent symptoms of GER.
What You Need to Know About GERD in Infants
Spitting up, or gastroesophageal reflux, is common in infants. This type of gastric reflux occurs during the first few months of age in more than half of all infants. For a small number of babies, however, symptoms of reflux are severe or don't decrease as the infant grows older, and medical evaluation is needed.
Diagnosing Acid Reflux in Infants
If your baby is healthy and growing well, the doctor may make a diagnosis of reflux on a parent's description of symptoms and feeding history, and a physical exam alone. Many, if not most, cases of reflux in infants are diagnosed without the need for any testing. However, your baby's doctor may order tests if he or she suspects a more serious condition, such as GERD.
Diagnosing Acid Reflux in Children
Your child's doctor may base a diagnosis of acid reflux on your child's symptoms and a physical examination. The doctor may also order tests to verify the diagnosis, or to determine if a more serious condition, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is the cause of the reflux.
Diagnosing Acid Reflux in Teens
Your child's doctor may base a diagnosis of acid reflux on your child's symptoms, a physical examination, and your child's response to medical treatment. For example, if your child's symptoms improve after treating proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), then it's probably GERD. If your child's symptoms do not improve, the doctor may order tests to determine if the diagnosis is indeed GERD as the cause of the reflux.
Treating Children with GERD
The course of treatment the doctor prescribes for your child will depend on your child's age and symptoms. This treatment can include lifestyle modifications and medication.
Treating Teens with GERD
Because of the increasing consumption of fast food and ever-expanding waistlines among teens, GERD is becoming an increasing problem in teenagers. The severity of their GERD symptoms are will determine what their treatment should be.
Treating Infants with GERD
Treatment of infant reflux depends on the severity of the problem. Treatment can include lifestyle modifications or medications.
Symptoms of GERD in Infants
Reflux occurs often in normal infants. More than half of all babies experience reflux in the first 3 months of life. Reflux can become a more serious concern in some infants, when medical attention is needed, and knowing the symptoms of chronic reflux is important.
Symptoms of GERD in Children
When the lower esophageal sphincter doesn't close properly, stomach contents and acid can back up into the esophagus. If your child experiences any of the following symptoms of acid reflux, medical attention is needed.
Symptoms of GERD in Teens
Because of the increasing consumption of fast food and ever-expanding waistlines among teens, GERD is an increasing problem in teenagers. If your teenager experiences any of the following symptoms, medical attention is needed.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in Teens
While chronic heartburn and GERD are often considered to be adult disorders, it is becoming more common among children and teens. Because of the increasing consumption of fast food and ever-expanding waistlines among teens, GERD is becoming an increasing problem in teenagers.
Gastroesophageal Reflux in Children - Acid Reflux in Children
Almost all children have a little bit of reflux, without being aware of it. For some children and adolescents, however, this reflux may be chronic. Gastroesophageal Reflux (GER) often begins in infancy and then subsides, but for a small number of infants, GER symptoms continue as they grow older.
Gastroesophageal Reflux in Infants
"Sprtting up" is common in infants. This type of gastric reflux occurs during the first three months of age in more than half of all infants. Many babies who spit up don't require treatment. However, for a small number of babies, symptoms of reflux are severe.
Preventing Infant Reflux
Many babies have spitting up problems that don't require treatment. Referred to as "happy spitters," their symptoms usually disappear after six to eight months. For some infants, however, their symptoms are a sign of something more serious than routine spitting up, and medical advice should be sought.
Symptoms of Infant Reflux
Reflux occurs often in normal infants. More than half of all babies experience reflux in the first 3 months of life. Reflux can become a more serious concern in some infants, when medical attention is needed, and knowing the symptoms of chronic reflux is important.
Symptoms of GERD in Children
Children, and even infants, can suffer from heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease. What are the symptoms of gastro reflux in children?

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