Infant Reflux?

[Tsuki_Sire]

Alright I have been talking to alot of people about this. My 6week old baby has projectile spit up sometimes. It was bad the first 3 weeks he would do it almost everyday, now its only once or twice every few days. I asked his doctor and he said it was normal, but I know its not, for him to throw up everything he has eaten and then some. I looked it up online and it listed:
    1)  Persistent coughing or gagging
    2) Irritability when feeding
    3) Arching back when feeding
    4) Refusing food or eating only small amounts
    5) Frequent vomiting
    6) Sudden or constant crying
    7) Colic
    8) Wet burps
    9) Frequent hiccups
   10) Blood in stool
   11) Poor sleep habits
   12) Slow growth
   13) Difficulty swallowing
   14) Weight loss
   15) Spells of not breathing

Now He has a few of these..#'s 1, 2, 3(sometimes), 5(has stopped just recently), 8 & 9(1-3 times daily). Now If he doesnt have acid reflux then what is it. His doctor wont help me any, and just keeps telling me everything is good because he is growing and gaining weight just fine. If anyone can help me with this, It will be very appreciated.

[mjinwp]

our first son had the same problem.  the doc said it was a form of refluxe but more of his body not able to process the food quick enough.  so we went through like 5 different formulas and finally ended up with good start but we also started to feed him more upright and we had to prop the top half of his crib mattress up to keep the "fluids down" instead of slowly raising back up.  good luck

[Mojorisin]

I just wanted to throw in there.. that my daughter also had acid reflux when she was an infant. She also had a problem call...forgive my spelling... Laryngomalaysia. A condition where the flap in the esophagus doesnt allow things to go down "the right tube". She was choking alot, projectile vomiting, rattled breathing ( from liquid in her lungs) If i hadnt taken her to the ER when I did she could have gotten very sick very quickly. Because she was vomiting so much and so often she wasnt gaining weight properly etc etc. Basically they put her on medicine for the reflux, and she had a minor laser surgery for the esophagus.
Today she is a happy, healthy, 4yr old. Average in size and developement.

[Coolpeach]

My oldest of 3 was like that. He would projectile vomit his formula across the room. I took him to the Dr repeatedly, and they treated me like an overly freaked out mom. They always told me that his weight was fine for his age, and not to worry.

When he was 14 the school called and said his eyes were really yellow and they felt he was jaundice and sent him home. By the time we reached the Dr his eyes were fine, and again I am just overreacting. He then started complaining of loose bowel movements, stomach pain, heartburn etc ever time he ate. The Dr put him on one acid reducer after another over a period of a couple of years. The Dr actually seemed annoyed at us that the meds were not working. We finally changed Dr's and the new Dr started him on the exact same med's because he said it was protocol to go down a med list. Finally at 17 he just wasn't eating because he said it was too painful afterward, and the constant loose bowel movements made it impossible for him to go to school, have a social life etc. When he was way too thin for his age the DR sent us to a specialist who did a few tests where they put a camera down his throat, and one up his rectum to look around. They also did a bunch of blood work. They informed us that he was too short for his age 5'4 at 17 while his brothers even his younger one was taller than he was. And he was underweight.

He had a couple of ulcers in his stomach, and several polyps in his esphogus, and rectum from acid. They also said he had gilberts syndrome which is a inborn enzyme defect. He doesn't have as many enzymes as we do to break down bilibrubin. Its not a big deal because he has enough to do the job just not as many as normal. It will not shorten his life, or cause him to be sick, but when he is not getting enough sleep, getting ill, or not eating well his eyes will turn yellow. This is because the protein used to make the few enzymes that it can for the bilirubin is being used to elsewhere.

In the end they cut out the polyps, and put him on fibercon, and more acid reducers, but the problem still continues and he is 21. He has learned that certain foods make it worse, and doesnt eat those (red meat, tomato sauce foods, high fat foods).

I feel like this problem started when he was an infant, and we are still dealing with it. I wish I had been more demanding when he was an infant and maybe he wouldn't have gotten the ulcers and the polyps.

Stay after the DR. and demand they do tests and figure it out. Its a lot harder for us now because he is older and eats a variety of foods, has a life long history, and they have even considered his type A personality might lead to stress induced acid production. Your baby only eats a limited diet, is under a year old, and how stressed can a baby be? I am sure they can figure it out. Don't give up, and stay on them.

[Tsuki_Sire]

Alright ...Thanks

[twokids19]

My son had reflux....but the vomiting would be the most common problem.  He was put on meds & finally did grow out of it at about 15 months (he's just 2 1/2 now), which is the case in most children who have reflux.  I would look into pyloric stenosis for your baby.  My friends son ended up having that after thinking he had reflux, he had a minor surgery & is happy & healty now.  Let me know how it goes.  GOOD LUCK

[LRM1021]

If he is growing and gaining weight just fine, then your doctor is right. There are children whit reflux SOO BAD that they can't get enough nutrition.

Some children are just "pukers". My son was -- we tried everything -- putting cereal in his formula, more burping, you name it-- he was still a puker -- but a fat little puker!!!

Anyway, we did put him on solid food a little bit earlier than most parents do-- he was a little over 3 mos when we started him on cereal. We still gave him formula, but also started adding in food. My friends did not give their children food until they were at least 6 months old, but mine did just fine with it.

Anyway, it did stop== he only throws up when he is sick now.