Acid Reflux in an Infant
 Acid reflux in an infant is commonly referred to as "spit up," a term all parents are intimately familiar with. That's because more than half of all babies experience this phenomenon during the first three months of life.
According to pediatric experts, acid reflux in an infant occurs because a baby's digestive tract hasn't matured. In infants, the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), a valve in between the esophagus and the stomach, is not fully developed. So, until the LES is completely matured, your baby’s stomach contents can push up into the esophagus, and, of course, out of his mouth - that's why it's called spit up!
An experienced parent knows that spit up happens a lot, especially after a feeding. But, it also occasionally occurs when a baby coughs or cries.
Pediatricians don't normally consider acid reflux in an infant or children a significant problem if the baby is otherwise healthy and happy. And, since parents typically bring young babies to the doctor for frequent check-ups, infant health often is monitored closely and any serious acid reflux causes can be addressed immediately.
Sometimes, if frequent spit up is a persistent problem, a pediatrician may recommend small changes, including:
- Interrupting feedings more frequently for burping
- Smaller, more frequent feedings throughout the day and night
- Slightly changing a baby's position during a feeding to ensure that their head is higher than their stomach, allowing gravity to do its work, keeping spit up under control.
But, if your baby is fussy, colicky, refuses to eat, is not gaining weight, or is in any kind of distress or obvious discomfort and is spitting up a lot, your pediatrician may consider another acid reflux treatment, such as medication, and require more frequent monitoring of the situation.
Acid reflux in your infant, also known as infantile gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), can affect the development of muscles, nerves, and even brain tissue if your baby isn't getting the proper nutrients. When medications are not effective, surgery may be considered by a physician as a last resort.
But, acid reflux in an infant most often doesn't progress and remains just that - a fancy name for spit up! If, however, you are concerned about your baby spitting up, you should take him or her to the pediatrician for a check-up.
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