Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) in Children
Several infants are reported to suffer from reflux during the first few months of their life. The majority outgrow the problem by the time they are one year old.
GERD is difficult to diagnose in children; their symptoms vary from those of the adults. Several infants are reported to suffer from reflux during the first few months of their life. This is because an infant’s digestive system is extremely sensitive. However, the majority outgrow the problem by the time they are one- year old. A few of them, however, continue to harbor the condition well into their teens.
Laryngopharyngeal reflux is more prevalent among infants. This can terrify the child and the parents as breathing becomes difficult.
No single symptom is common to all the affected children. It can sometimes be challenging to discover this as a cause of ill-health in an infant. Being aware that it can exist is the first step towards suspecting it. One should think of it as a possibility if any of below mentioned symptoms are persistently present -
- Refusing to eat
- Repeated vomitting and cough
- Bad breath and belching
- Respiratory problems
- Non stop crying
- Failure to gain weight
