Acid reflux, or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), is a common condition in infancy. The digestive symptoms of infants are immature and just learning how to digest food, which is why symptoms of acid reflux are common occurrences in the first 6 months of life. While most children outgrow acid reflux, there is a small number of children left with the condition throughout child and adulthood.

When eating, food passes through the esophagus and into the small intestine, where the food breaks down and is mixed with acids from the stomach. During this process, the muscle at the bottom of the esophagus closes so that the consumed foods and liquids will remain in the stomach.

Reflux children experience problems with the lower muscle of the esophagus, or lower esophageal sphincter, not working properly. Instead, the sphincter does not close as it should, allowing acids and contents from the stomach to come back up through the esophagus.

While acid reflux is a condition that can be treated easily in most cases, reflux children still need the proper medical care to diagnose and treat their acid reflux. Chronic reflux that is not treated properly can lead to discomfort, pain, poor growth, and even damage to the esophagus.

Infants with acid reflux will generally experience spitting up, discomfort in the abdominal area, and colicky symptoms. However, as infants grow into children, the reflux symptoms can worsen and be more severe. The most common symptoms that reflux children experience are abdominal and chest pain, and burning in the esophagus. This discomfort from foods often leads reflux children to be picky about their food choices or not eat at all.

Other symptoms of reflux children include a frequent runny nose, sore throats and ear infections. Children may experience respiratory problems and nighttime coughing. These symptoms, along with pain and discomfort, can lead to a poor night’s rest.

While it’s normal to experience symptoms of acid reflux on occasion, these symptoms will be chronic and life altering for a child with acid reflux. That is why many reflux children will not receive the proper nutrition as they should, inhibiting their growth and well-being.

In order to diagnose acid reflux in children, a medical professional will need to be seen. Doctors will go by the symptoms of the child, as well as perform testing. The easiest and least invasive testing methods are lab tests, which include blood or urine samples. These tests will rule out any underlying causes that may be contributing to the acid reflux symptoms.

Esophageal pH monitoring is another test that can be performed to determine acid reflux. This test will measure the acidity levels in the esophagus. This test is often preferred by medical staff, as a biopsy of the esophagus can be taken if needed as well.

Another way to determine acid reflux in children is by doing an upper endoscopy. This procedure is most pervasive and involves taking a scope through the esophagus, small intestine and stomach. An upper endoscopy can also reveal whether the esophagus is restricted or inflamed.

The first course of treatment for reflux children is a diet that focuses on eating foods that will not bring on reflux symptoms. The diet focuses on eating fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, dairy, and whole grains. Reflux children should steer away from fried or fatty foods, oily and cream-based foods, and caffeinated products.

Reflux children can also take medications that either neutralize, suppress or block acid in the stomach, such as antacids, acid suppressers and acid blockers. If these over-the-counter medications do not work, a doctor may prescribe a different treatment medication depending on the child’s age.

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