My first daughter was diagnosed with reflux at age 3. She had this constant cough and sometimes coughed up a mucus-like substance. She would complain of her "stomach hurting" before, during and after eating. Finally after many treatments, her pediatrician recommended she see an ear, nose and throat specialist. She then saw that my daughter's throat was red and irritated. She prescribed Prevacid. One tablet daily. That cleared up my daughter's symptoms almost immediately. She has been off the Prevacid for some time now and none of her symptoms are coming back. Hopefully it stays this way! 
Just when I thought it was over...
I had my second daughter 3 months ago. She always had trouble feeding. At first, her symptoms were not that bad. We took it upon ourselves to try different formulas and different brands to see if we can alleviate her fussiness. After little result and many, many formulas, we asked her pediatrician (the same one as my first daughter) for his opinion.
He asked some questions and witnessed the baby and her eating aversion. I was a little confused because at night she would eat just fine. (i guess they call it sleep-feeding?) He thought she had difficulty with the formula and the protein in it(we finally settled on SOY getting the best reaction), so he gave me Alimentum to try. Not only did it smell horribly, but it made my daughter have diahrea every time she ate. After a while she was back to the same, not wanting to eat. So he told me to go back on Similac Soy and he prescribed Ranitidine. WHAT A LIFE SAVER!
During this timeIi had been back and forth to see her pediatrician, during which she lost 2 ounces. Before it got any worse, I got the Ranitidine from the pharmacy (expensive) and gave it to her. The first dose she hated, it smells like peppermit so I can only imagine how it tasted to her. It really didnt do anything, but the doctor told me to stick with it and if it works, we should see results in a few days; not immediate.
So I stuck with it, and now I am on day 3. Each dose gets easier to give my baby daughter. I think she is getting used to the taste and learning that it helps her feel better. I am proud to say that she is doing MUCH better. She gets a little fussy aroudn the time she is due for her next dose, but it is entirely tolerable. She still has some fits but NOTHING like it was. She is eating normally and hopefully gaining weight.
I just wanted to share my story and get some advice on other things I can do as her parent to help her feel better. I'd like to connect with other moms who have children with the same problem as mine and wish everyone the best of luck in managing their reflux.
Dear Reflux Mom,
First of all let me start by saying you are not alone, many of us have been there. I would really encourage you to read our posts. You can click on "connect" and as the menu scrolls down read other recent community share posts. Jan Gambino has a new one about sleep feeding, there is one by Amy D and I have one about my son Avin and his aversions and sleep feeding issues.
I don't know how bad your daughter's reflux is but in my opinion, if she is already showing aversions, please don't just treat it with Zantac. You may need to see a pediatrician who can either give her Prilosec/Prevacid (safe for infants) or see a Ped-GI who can review he reflux-history properly. If you daughter is drinking formula, reflux may not resolve on it's own and may need optimum dosing (just right for her symptoms). Good luck and please let us know if you need more from us. Also, as I suggested to another mom, please try to do some feedings while your daughter is fully awake, then if she does resist those feedings you know for sure that she is still hurting.
You can also choose to click on my name and send a personal message and I would be more than happy to share my understanding, experience etc. on this matter.
Good luck.
I didn't realize it was this common. I thought at first that my daughter didn't like my breastmilk. She would never stay on and when she was latched on, she would pull away after a couple sips. This went on for a while and it made me crazy. So i stopped breast feeding. Then we went through so many different formulas and brands of formulas. Then she just wouldn't eat. She lost weight. I did notice, however, that she would eat alot at night when she was 1/2 asleep, 1/2 awake. So i thought i was just being overly-worrisome. Then she started having these screaming fits like something was hurting her. She turns beat red and holds her breathe while arching her back. I got so scared and kept taking her to the doctors. Everytime i took her in, she would be perfectly fine, and smile at the doctor, making me look like a liar! Finally he prescribed ranitidine. You dont think that is enough for her? I noticed that it helped ALOT but she still has 1 or 2 fits per day, i realize she is going to need something stronger eventually to alleviate her pain all together, but do you think she needs it sooner than later? i hate seeing my 3 month old in pain. her doctor also told me to add infant rice cereal to her formula to help keep it down in her stomach. 1 teaspoon per ounce. I just tried that about an hour ago and she passed right out and is taking a nap. I hope she is not too young to do give cereal in formula, but she was losing weight from not wanting to eat. She is already small to begin with. i had problems throughout my whole pregnancy with her.
Her pediatrician is in the process of getting me a referral to a pedi GI specialist. He is referring me to Hasbro, where my first daughter's team of doctors are. my oldest daughter also has a disease called tubular (or tuberous) sclerosis. She literally has a team of doctors at the hospital, one doctor for each body part effected.
its hectic here....just trying to make my infant the most comfortable. any advice can help. thank you so much.
Dear Lucy, It's a good thing you are taking your daughter to a pediatric GI. May I also suggest that you carry a video recording of your daughter's "freflux its" when you go there. Many a times when the kids go to the GI, they behave so well that we are often thought of as "liars" or parents who are over reacting.
A good pedi GI can tell you right away that this is reflux and for some unknown reason pediatrric GI's are not too fond of Zantac. They will most cetainly switch he to a prilosec, Zegerid or Prevacid. When they do that please ask them how many days will it take for the new medicine to become effective and whether you can continue your DD on Zantac (reduced dose)? There is no harm asking questions and trying out what may be most comfortable for your baby.
Good luck with the GI visit. Please do keep us posted.
Hello!
Please give us an update on the Zantac and thickener. It is common for the doctor to try home care treatments first (swaddle, positioning upright, change formula/diet, add thickener) before moving up to medicine. Zantac (rantidine) is a good first choice and may be very successful for many babies. Other babies respond to a motility medication such as Reglan or Erythromycin. The strongest medication and often the last one tried is a PPI (Prevacid, Prilosec, etc). Some doctors bypass the other treatments and go right to the strong medication. However, the NASPGHAN (association of ped GI's) does advocate trying the home care and non medication approach first unless the baby is showing some worrisome symptoms such as breathing problems, weight loss, etc. As you know things change day by day so you might have to go back and forth to the doctor and GI.
Jan Gambino
The Reflux Mom
I have been thickening my daughter's formula for about 5 days now. I am putting a little more than a teaspoon of cereal per ounce of formula. It is quite thick, more like a milkshake. At first she was confused by it, but now its just normal to her. Since I have been adding the cereal to her formula, she seems like she has gained quite a bit of weight. She has filled out more and seems to be content for longer periods of time. I think it is helping keep the formula down too. I can see she is going to need a stronger antacid-medication as well.
Each day that passes is another day closer to her getting over this reflux.
Lucy, Wonderful...I am glad she is content and gaining. Such wonderful news! Jan
Thickening does work for some kids! Wonderful! Yes that will reduce her need for higher doses of any medicine. Unless the Drs worry, don't worry about her weight. There is at least couple of friends who's drs recommended high-cal diet for their infants. Well the logic in that case was, if the baby gains certain amount of weight, reflux might go away. I don't know whether this is very logical but for both their babies reflux ended at around 18 pounds and when babies started feeding more quantities at larger intervals (i.e stomach size increased).
Here is something else I would like to add to Jan's helpful comments:
PPI's are not necessarily "stronger" medicine (as per my new GI), again this was a bit new for me to digest too; but what he said was that they are different in the way they work. If your daughter starts needing more than 3ml of Zantac per day they will prescribe a PPI because too much of Zantac is not easy on kidneys(?) or liver(?) or both.
However, as Jan suggested you can ask for Zantac that can be compounded without the alcohol which comes in the standard peppermint taste. I went to three compounding pharmacies before one of them agreed to do the Zantac without the alcohol and in a flavor of Avin's liking. It is very far from my place but was worth it because we started needing less and less of it between two doses of PPI (our first pedi had given both).
Reglan is avoided as much as possible now a days (I don't know how recent this development is) and erythromycin has become a motility drug of choice; however, your regular pedi can run a simple ultrasound to check for the emptying ability of her stomach. Mine did and we found out that Avin's emptying is fine. Usually, large amount of projectile vomiting is a sign of delayed emptying.
Drs. prescribe children's mylanta or carafate to sooth the irritated esophagus along with the PPI. It could be on "as needed" basis and might help you daughter with her reflux fits.
It always useful to do some homework before you go to pedi-gi so many questions can get answered in just one visit. Jan has many many great suggestions about home remedies too, do try it out.
Good luck
thanks! Lucy is my baby daughter's name, my name is Heather.