My fear for my 4.5 month daughter has come true. This past week and half, she refuses to eat. There will be times when she'll cry when I put the bottle in her mouth and other times she will chew on it a little and then just cry. I've resorted to try to sleep feed her, but it's not going so well. She's eating less than when she fed when awake. Right now she'll eat anywhere from 12-16 oz in a 24 hour period.
I called her GI specialist and was prescribed to give her bethanacal, and have her still take Prevacid 7.5 mg. She was on Prevacid and erythomycin for about 3 weeks.
When she was 3.5 months old, she started to act like she can't suck, and the OT thought so too and so we began therapy for oral motor skills...but that's not the problem. She can really suck well on her pacifier, but once the bottle is in her mouth she will cry. We've done two upper GI on her and all came out normal but then again, she ate so little less than 1/2 oz during the test.
I'm so worried that she will eventually get a feeding tube and have to face more oral aversions. Her aversion is already in place...can it be reversed if the right medication is given? I cry every day because I am so worried for her.


Oh my, I am so sorry. Has she been to the pediatrician recently? I always like to start there. Make sure she doesn't have a throat infection, thrush, ear infection, constipation or other reason for feeding refusal. Sometimes my little ones have had a terrible ear infection without other symptoms like a fever or a runny nose.
If she doesn't have an illness, then you and the medical team will need to explore other reasons such as feeding aversion, allergy/intolerance and pain from eating. It is interesting that you and the feeding therapist have noted some oral motor problems. Too bad she wasn't able to swallow more barium for the swallow study-that might tell you a lot about her refusal. If she is having a swallowing problem, she may try to protect herself from choking or aspiration by refusing to eat.
Keep track of her intake and talk to the doctor about how to look for signs of dehydration.
Take care,
Jan Gambino
The Reflux Mom