Reflux in baby: symptoms and treatment

Reflux in infants can occur due to immaturity of the upper gastrointestinal tract or when the infant has some difficulty in digestion, intolerance or allergy to milk or some other food from his or her diet.

Reflux in a newborn baby should not be considered a worrying situation when the amount is small and happens only after the feeding. However, when the reflux occurs several times, in large quantity and long after the feeding, it can compromise the development of the baby and therefore should be evaluated by the pediatrician.

What are the signs and symptoms

Symptoms of reflux in a baby usually manifest through small gulps after breastfeeding and some discomfort, which can happen in all babies.

However, this reflux may be exaggerated and may be accompanied by symptoms such as:

• Restless sleep;
• Constant vomiting;
• Difficulty in suckling;
• Irritation and excessive crying;
• Hoarseness, because the larynx is inflamed due to the acidity of the stomach;
• Difficulty gaining weight;
• Frequent ear inflammation.

In the presence of these symptoms, it is important to take the baby to the pediatrician or pediatric gastroenterologist to make the diagnosis and guide the treatment.

How is the treatment done?

The ideal is to prevent reflux through some care, such as avoiding rocking the baby, avoid wearing clothes that tighten your belly or choose a good position during feedings to prevent the entry of air through the baby's mouth. Learn how to breastfeed successfully.

In addition, after breastfeeds, it is advisable to place the baby to burp in an upright position in the adult's lap for about 30 minutes and then lay the baby on his or her side and the head of the crib raised about 30 degrees, placing a wedge of 10 cm or an anti-reflux pillow. See more tips on how to care for baby with reflux.

Normally, baby reflux disappears from six months of age, when you begin to sit down and eat solid foods, however, if this does not happen, after all the care, you may be directed to take medications such as Motilium or Label, according to the pediatrician or gastroenterologist's orientation or surgery to correct the valve that prevents food from returning from the stomach into the esophagus.

Feeding for infant reflux

Feeding for infant reflux should ideally be breast milk, but if baby takes artificial milk, adding cereal flour rice or corn can reduce reflux. Breast milk naturally produces less reflux because digestion is easier and so the baby will only breastfeed, avoiding overeating.

If your baby takes artificial milk, it may be necessary to thicken it with rice or cornmeal, which helps the food stay longer in the stomach, preventing reflux, and in addition, adds more calories to the milk, causing the baby to gain weight quickly. In addition, there are also milks adapted for infants with reflux, which already have thickeners in the composition.

Feeding the baby should be given in small amounts and at most times throughout the day so that the stomach does not distend as much.

In relation to the feeding of the mother who breastfeeds, foods such as fats, fried foods, chocolate, acid juices, coffee, soda and yogurt should be avoided, as these foods can pass into the milk, making it difficult for the baby to digest.

Possible Complications

One of the most common complications related to reflux in infants is the pain and discomfort of gastric acid in contact with the mucosa, which can lead to esophagitis. Another of the more serious complications of reflux may be aspiration pneumonia, which occurs when the baby "returns" the milk that enters the trachea into the lung.

When reflux is not diagnosed and treated, the pain and discomfort generated can cause the baby to refuse food, which can compromise its development.

How to prevent reflux in babies

There are some ways to prevent reflux in babies, such as:

• When breastfeeding, support the baby in the arms, so that the mother's belly touches the baby's belly;
• In feedings, leave the baby's nostrils free to breathe;
• Avoid having the baby suck on the nipple;
• Give breast milk as many months as possible;
• Avoid giving large amounts of milk at one time;
• Increase the frequency of feedings;
• Avoid rocking the baby;
• The bottle should always be given high, with the beak filled with milk;

If even with these preventive measures, reflux continues to occur frequently, the baby should be taken to the pediatrician or pediatric gastroenterologist to make the diagnosis and guide the treatment.