Could my 3 1/2 month pld have acid reflux or GERD?

Hello Jan,

Thank you so much for replying to my post. I'm sorry my post was so long, I guess I just needed to talk to someone and let my feelings out. My husband works six days a week and while he tries to help me as much as he can, I am often caring for my two boys by myself. This wasn't a big deal until recently when my baby's feeding problems started. We have started talking about the possibility of hiring a nanny or asking relative to come stay with us. We have an appointment with the pediatrician on Monday and we will ask her to refer us to a GI specialist if she gives a diagnosis of acid reflux.  It kills me that we will probably have to wait weeks or months to see someone but I guess we don't have any choice. I think constipation can be ruled out because he poops every other day and his poops look normal. If he had a milk protein allergy wouldn't he be breaking out in red hives all over his body? Just asking because I have heard that is an obvious symptom of a milk protein allergy.

In the meantime the dream feeds continue. Do you think it would help my son gain weight if I switched over to high calorie formula (the kind that's meant for low birth weight and premature babies)? Does adding rice cereal to the bottle help with weight gain? Thank you again for responding.

Hello!

When it comes to babies with feeding problems, there is a great deal to write about. I always find that writing about my kids and their health issues helps me get some perspective and it also helps me organize my thoughts. That is why I started writing everything down!

You are very articulate so I hope you and the doctor will take some time on Monday to sort through all of the questions and concerns you have at this point.
Keep in mind that sleep feeding is not harmful and it allows you to keep feeding your son while you and the doctor work to figure out why feeding is so unpleasant for him. The doctor is the best resource for deciding if a high calorie formula is needed. Were you hoping that he could take fewer ounces and get the same calories? It certainly is something to consider. The same with thickening. Thickening is often used for babies with vomiting. However, sometimes thickening is used to slow the flow and help a baby suck and swallow better. Older babies who are sleep feeding may eat while awake when offered baby food on a spoon or a thick liquid from a cup. Your little one may not be ready for baby food just yet.

I always mention the Milk Soy Protein Intolerance because it is common and there is some overlap with reflux symptoms. Certainly it is common to have a rash, blood in the stool, mucous in the stool, etc but there is often fussiness, crying and poor eating.

Sometimes it takes a long time to get a diagnosis and treatment plan that works. Other times, things happen quickly and the reflux is controlled after a few visits to the doctor. Don't be discouraged.

Meanwhile, keep writing...

Jan Gambino

The Reflux Mom

Hello Jan,

Thank you again for responding. I have made a detailed list of questions for the pediatrician and I hope we will get some answers and a definite diagnosis. I will continue to write and update.

Sandeepa

Hello! Yes, please let us know the results of the appointment on Monday. I will try to get some of the other moms to comment on your questions and concerns.

Jan Gambino

The Reflux Mom

Hello Jan,

My son's appointment is in a few hours but I wanted to ask a few questions. I will ask the pediatrician, but I thought I'd run them by you as well...I guess I'm just feeling a little restless. I had a tough night with my baby because I was trying to give a feeding at around midnight so that he got enough milk in 24 hours and he was so sleepy! I felt really guilty for not letting him sleep peacefully but I'm so worried that the pedi will tell me that he's dropping percentiles. It took almost two hours to get 4 ounces into him. Anyway, here are my questions:

1. Can acid reflux lead to respiratory problems? If so, what kind of problems? I'm sorry if this has been discussed but I haven't had time to go through all the posts yet.

2. Is it possible for an infant to have milk soy protein intolerance without any visible symptoms? Are the symptoms of MSPI the same as the ones for acid reflux (arching back, crying when given breast or bottle, not eating other than when sleep feeding, frequent spitting up/vomiting) or should I be looking out for something else?

3. I still don't really understand how an infant who starts out without any apparent reflux issues and feeds well develops acid reflux a few months after birth. I'm sorry I know this is a dumb question but I'm just not getting it and I never had this experience with my first child. My three month old started off as an enthusiastic eater. He would ask to be fed every two to three hours and finish the whole bottle in 10 minutes. All of a sudden three weeks ago everything changed and it's like he's not the same baby. I'm trying to understand why but I'm having a hard time.

Thank you.

Sandeepa

Hello Jan,

We went to the pediatrician today and we demonstrated to her what it's like to try to feed our son while he's awake. Then she tried to feed him and the same thing happened: he arched his back and turned his head to the side. She examined him and ruled out any type of MSPI or allergy. She also said the problem is not behavioral and that he feels pain when he tries to eat. She is pretty sure that he has reflux. She referred us to a GI specialist and she's hopeful that he'll see us in as soon as two weeks from now. Please keep your fingers crossed for us!

Meanwhile my baby boy continues to sleep feed. The pediatrician suggested spoon feeding him rice cereal in two weeks when he turns four months old. I asked her about using high calorie formula and she advised against it because he is gaining a little bit of weight due to our sleep feeding him. She did say we could try Enfamil AR if we wanted to but I'm hesitant because I fear he will become constipated. His poop yesterday was of harder consistency than usual. She also mentioned giving children's mylanta before each feed but I have never heard of a children's version of mylanta, have you? Also, she did not prescribe Zantac or anything else because she wants us to have the consultation with the specialist first. I'm glad that we at least know for sure that we are dealing with reflux, but very scared as to what lies ahead. I am suffering from post partum depression and a possible thyroid condition (will have a blood test tomorrow) so this is really hard on me. 

Sandeepa

Hello Sandeepa,

So sorry that I was not able to respond to your questions before the appt. It sounds like you did a great job of describing the problem and your pediatrician did an excellent assessment of the feeding problem. I am glad that you have an appt in 2 weeks. That is relatively fast since many parents tell me it can take months to get a new patient appointment. Keep in mind that if your little one shows signs of dehydration or complete bottle refusal, you need to call the pediatrician or go the the ER that day. I know that is a scary thought but it can happen. Keep in mind that most parents tell me their babies will sleep feed and this becomes a bridge to awake feeding, giving parents and doctors the time to figure out what is going on.

Check with the pharmacy about getting Children's Mylanta. I think there is a liquid version on the store shelf (non prescription).

If constipation is an issue, the thickener in the Enfamil AR might add to the problem. Just take it day by day and stay in close contact with the doctor until you have your appointment. It might not be a bad idea to visit the doctor or call by next Monday to give him/her an update as you wait for the GI appointment.

I can tell you that I felt very stressed and worried by the reflux. Every day was a struggle to cope with the back breaking caretaking and deal with the long nights without sleep or rest. Adding post partum depression to the mix adds to the struggle to cope. I hope you will tell your doctors and the pediatrician that you are struggling and ask for assistance/support. Perhaps there is a parents group to join (on line, phone support, group). See if there is a local group that helps new moms. I know our church has a "chores and more" group. A family can ask for a hot meal, childcare, errands, laundry assistance, etc. from a group at our church. I know it takes time and energy to reach out and find assistance. Keep in mind that reflux is too big for one mommy to deal with all alone.

I will be thinking about you.

Jan Gambino

The Reflux Mom

P.S. If you want to talk privately by phone, send me a private email on this site and I will forward my office number to you.

Thank you Jan. I forgot to mention in my previous post that the pediatrician wants the GI specialist to check for pyloric stenosis. Also, I'm happy to report that by Divine intervention, we managed to get an appointment for tomorrow! The practice consists of three GI docs and one of them will be able to see my baby right away. My baby has begun refusing to eat while sleeping too. He missed his night time feed and this morning it took an hour and a half to sleep feed him half his bottle. The ped. said he is consuming the absolute minimum amount of formula for his age and if it continues like this he will drop in percentiles and eventually become failure to thrive. I told all this to the GI docs' office and the admin. assistant was kind enough to arrange for my son to be seen tomorrow. I'm so thankful for this yet so much in anxiety about what lies ahead. Also, he has not pooped in two days so I'm cautious about switching to Enfamil AR. Thanks for your support and I will update you after we see the specialist.

Hello Sandeepa,

Oh, I am so happy about the Divine Intervention! I will be eager to hear about your appointment.

Best wishes,

Jan Gambino

The Reflux Mom

www.refluxmom.com

Hello Jan,

Today the GI specialist put my baby on Zantac 1.7 ml twice a day and told us to change his formula to Alimentum. He also said we could give our son 1/2 teaspoon of Mylanta three times a day. Tomorrow we have to take our son for an upper GI scan. The radiology place is far from our home but they had an opening right away so we took it. So far our little guy hasn't spit the Zantac or Mylanta out so we're keeping our fingers crossed. I know it can take several weeks to see results. I'm just worried about the side effects of Zantac. I've heard that it can cause sleepiness (I asked the GI doc and he said it wouldn't) and stomach ache in infants. Also, I've heard many parents complain that their children's bodies begin to tolerate the Zantac and after a while it doesn't work. I will let you know how things go at the radiologist's.

Sandeepa