Acid Reflux In Infants
Acid Reflux in infants is a condition where the food and the acid in the stomach flow back in the esophagus. There are circular muscles at the end of the esophagus which open and close to let the food travel from the throat to the stomach. This set of circular muscles open to release the gas after meals. When they open they also allow some content from the stomach to travel in the esophagus and mouth. Infants are often seen "spitting up" after their meals. Vomiting can also be noticed in some cases. Acid Reflux can also occur when the babies cough or sneeze.
When do they suffer?
Not all infants suffer from this disease for a long time. It is mostly seen in the infants in the first three months of their age. Many infants don't require treatments on this and it gradually disappears by 12 months to 18 months of the infant's age.
Symptoms in an infant:
Following are some of the symptoms which can be noticed in an infant suffering from Acid Influx:
Hiccups and coughing frequently, burps along with spitting, restless crying, eating in small quantities or not eating at all, lack of continuous sleep, waking up at irregular intervals, bad breath, throat problems, swallowing problems, loosing of weight or poor health etc.
It is always better to consult a doctor if any of the symptoms are seen in your infant.
Depending on the severity of the problem suitable treatment can be started. If the problem is not severe no treatment is needed as it will disappear as the infant grows up.
Preventive steps to avoid Infant Acid Reflux:
"Spitting up" is a normal symptom seen in all the infants. This is not serious and disappears as the infant grows up till the age of 6 to 8 months. But if it does not disappear till this age then a doctor or your infant's pediatrician has to be consulted. The infant's doctor might make few changes in the eating habits and give you some useful tips which reduce the infants reflux.
Some useful tips for reducing the Reflux:
Holding the baby in the right position: If the position in which you hold the infant while feeding is right it will reduce the chances of the food coming back in the throat. Hold the baby upright for about 30 minutes after feeding.
Prone position (Laying the baby on stomach): If the baby is awake after feeding lay him on its stomach in at least a 30 degree angle position.
Infants position while sleeping at night: Just the way you keep the baby on its stomach in a 30 degree incline position in the same way keep the baby on his back with a 30 degree incline during his night sleep.
Feed your baby with regular small meals: Feeding too much at a time may not be healthy for your baby and might become heavy for your baby's stomach. Instead try feeding him with small meals with 2 to 3 hours gap between each meal.
Making the infant pass the gas after its meal (Making the baby burp): Make the baby burp at regular intervals while feeding. This will reduce the pressure on the infant's digestive system and help in digesting the food better.
Above are some of the symptoms and some common and simple tips by which you can prevent Acid Influx in Infants.
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