Well...I had called my family doctor once again because I feared Conner was suffering from both a Milk and Soy intolerance. My doctor finally refered me to a Pediatric GI and I had Conner seen that day. Everything went okay, it's better news than I had expected, but it's still news I was hoping I didn't get. One a good note, Conner is not allergic to soy(thank god). He does however have a severe Milk allergy that he may not outgrow. He also has severe GERD, worse than expected, so he is scheduled for an Upper GI at childrens hospital next week.
The Pediatric GI took Conner off of Prevacid(will explain at the end of this update) but raised his Zantac to the max which is 1.5 ML's twice daily. He also has me giving him 1 tsp of Dark Karo syrup 2-3 times a day mixed in his bottle for constipation(it's working). He has me giving him 1 tsp of Mylanta supreme as needed for the reflux and upset tummy. I am also having to add 2 tsp per ounce of baby oatmeal in his last bottle at night. So far so good, Conner slept from 10pm to 5am and isn't very fussy anymore. He is also finally having BM with the help of the Karo syrup. So we will see how long the happy baby lasts on these instructions, hopefully it's what he needs to manage his GERD.
I recieved an information Packet on Prevacid and infants with GERD, Here is what the Packet reads.
Prevacid usage in infants with GER/GERD
Lansoprazole also known as Prevacid is not typically recommended for children under 6 months of age. It is directed by the medications manufacturer that it must be given on an empty stomach in order to get the best results. Most children under 6 months of age eat every 2 to 4 hours therefore not allowing their stomachs to fully empty it's contents withen the time needed to administer the medication. If an infants stomach is not empty when given Prevacid their bodies do not absorb it therefore they do not get the best benefit from the medication.
Prevacid also causes Abdominal discomfort in younger patients, the reason for this is due to the high dosage. Prevacid generally does not come in small enough dosages or under 15mg which is considered a high dose for infants under 6 months of age. 15mg is usually broken into several dosages throughout a 24 hour period so that the infant is not consuming a high amount at one time.
*This was the information I was given from my Pediatric GI. I would seriously think about talking to your childs GI about this information if your child is on Prevacid.
I hope this is valuable information, although I know quite a few people would disagree in what I wrote. But you must remember that every child is different and responds differently to medications. This information is not targeting every child, it is just general information given about the product by it's manufacturer.