How do I know if my child has gastroesophageal reflux?
GER causes many symptoms in children. The most common presentation is regurgitation of food. While “spitting up” is common in normal infants up to six to nine months, most children outgrow this. When vomiting persists beyond this age or is excessive in amount at any age, it may require medical or even surgical attention. Persistent regurgitation can cause several problems. One problem is passage of the stomach contents up the esophagus and into the lungs–this is called aspiration. Stomach contents that go into the lungs can cause pneumonia and even sudden death. Secondly, if a significant amount of feedings are lost due to constant regurgitation, then an infant or child is unable to take in and retain enough calories to gain weight and grow–this is termed failure to thrive. Finally, GER can lead to inflammation of the esophagus from irritation by stomach acid–this is called esophagitis. This can cause bleeding or pain.
