Acid
reflux or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
is mostly caused by weak or feeble lower
esophageal sphincter muscles that often permit
stomach contents, including the bile to leak into
the esophagus, and thus causing irritation and
severe heartburn. This may happen to adults and
children alike. However, in the case of toddlers,
it is perilous as the little ones can hardly
express the agonies suffered, due no doubt to
their very tender age. Turned chronic, it could
spell disaster.
It
is therefore, the duty of every parent to identify
the symptoms and get the child examined by a
medical doctor, have the disease condition
diagnosed and follow the course of treatment
recommended by the medico.
The
symptoms of acid reflux in toddlers, though
often confusing with certain types of asthma, may
include sore throat, recurring episodes of
retching that produces greenish or yellowish
fluids along with occult blood as well as rapid
weight loss. And, of course, there is the
heartburn that the little fellow usually fails to
express, except by sign language. GERD in very
small children is accompanied by difficulty in
swallowing, breathing problems with wheezing,
chronic cough and total aversion to food. Symptoms
of acid reflux in toddlers may also include
recurrent attacks of pneumonia or asthma,
hoarseness of voice and
regurgitation.
Among
some of the more complex symptoms are inexplicable
episodes of irritability, abrupt longing for spicy
or fried food that had never been favorites and
expressions indicating food or fluids coming up
into the back of the throat. This is generally
followed by vomiting that may leave the child
temporarily inert. Other often reported symptoms
of acid reflux involve abrupt changes in their
sleeping habits - waking up in the middle of the
night with persistent crying or yearning for food
that is eventually discarded. Sure, acid reflux
can be bad in toddlers.
Since
the symptoms of acid reflux in toddlers may prove
fairly misleading in most cases, thorough
diagnosis is often recommended. This may include
endoscopy to eliminate esophagitis or Barrett's
esophagus while Esophageal luminal pH recording
(24-h or only nocturnal) is the most sensitive
test for acid reflux. However, acid reflux often
goes away as the child advances in age when the
sphincter muscles also develops fully, causing no
further refluxes.
It
seems that holistic medicines are as effective in
babies as it is in adults. This is because such
remedies treat the body as a whole and not just
the symptoms. This is often the correct thing to
do because the acid reflux can be a complicated
thing whereby the contributing factors are many.
And so treating the body as a whole through
holistic remedies is the best
practice.
While
this article will help you know more about the
disease and what you can do when acid reflux
attacks toddlers, but you should always
consult your physician prior to administrating any
medication.
