Heartburn in Babies

Your baby spits up, like any other baby, but is constant. There seems to be no stop. This could be a symptom of acid reflux in babies, or gastroesophageal reflux. However, the problem is more common than you think. In fact, more than half of all babies have infant acid reflux for the first months of his life. Most of the time, infant acid reflux occurs after feeding, but may also occur after your child coughs, cries or strains.
This condition usually dissipates after a year to a year and a half, depending on the baby. There are certain steps you can take to help reduce symptoms and these include feeding in smaller amounts, feeding more often, changing the position of the baby during feeding, stopping to let the baby burp during feeding, or any other technique recommended by your doctor.
Symptoms:
If you are unsure if your baby has acid reflux, there are certain things you want to keep an eye out for. Regurgitation or vomiting is the classic symptom of acid reflux in babies. Your baby may also appear irritable during feeding and he or she may show signs of inability to eat. If these symptoms occur, be sure to get the advice of your doctor before taking any action to combat the problem. Babies are unpredictable and the symptoms you are seeing can only be a phase that eventually your baby will grow out of. If your baby indeed has acid reflux, then you need to find the cause of the problem.
Causes:
Acid reflux in babies is mainly caused by a break of the muscle between the esophagus and stomach. This muscle is designed to open only when swallowing. The other times, this muscle is tightly closed to prevent stomach contents entering the esophagus. However, in infants, this muscle is still undeveloped and therefore allowing stomach contents to flow into the esophagus and out of the mouth of the baby. Sometimes air bubbles in the esophagus may push liquid from the mouth of the baby. And sometimes, the baby can drink too fast.
As mentioned before, you should consult a doctor if symptoms of acid reflux in babies are present. You should also call your doctor if your baby is not gaining weight, if the spit is strong or powerful, if your baby resists feeding or seems hungry between meals, and you should definitely seek advice if your baby shows signs of fever, diarrhea or difficulty in breathing.

Acid Reflux in Babies