Infant Reflux - Overview

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Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) or infant reflux affects more than 50% of newborns today but fortunately it is very treatable. Reflux is when the stomach contents and gastric acids flow up the esophagus from the stomach and either cause the infant to vomit and/or spit up.

Acid Reflux is caused by an immaturity of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) which joins the stomach and esophagus. The LES allows food and liquids to pass from the esophagus into the stomach as well as opens when vomiting occurs. Reflux results when the LES does not close properly allowing the acids to flow back up the esophagus.

Diagnosis for infant reflux can typically be made by the pediatrician with only the child’s medical history. However, there are more invasive test that can be done including a Barium swallow, pH probe, an upper GI endoscopy, or Gastric emptying study. Reflux can begin in a newborn as young as a few weeks old, but most children grow out of these symptoms by one year. Only in a very few cases, 3% actually, do children continue to suffer from reflux into their toddler years.

Reflux symptoms vary from forceful vomiting to complete refusal of food or milk. See an additional section on all the symptoms a child might suffer from related to reflux. Since reflux is so treatable do not hesitate to contact the child’s pediatrician for help. The pediatrician may recommend something as simple as a change in the baby and/or mother’s diet or the more common treatment of acid reducing prescriptions. See the Reflux Treatments section for additional details.

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