Children, including very young children can and do get GERD.

GERD stands for gastroesophageal reflux disease or acid reflux disease. The problem occurs when acid and other contents of the stomach repeatedly flow back up into the esophagus. This happens because the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) either relaxes at the wrong time, or it is weak, so it allows acid and other stomach contents to flow back up into the esophagus.

For this to happen occasionally can be normal; repeated occurrences may be GERD. And if it is allowed to continue without treatment, it can damage the esophagus and cause changes to its lining. In severe cases, this can cause malnutrition, failure to thrive, ulcers, and cancerous growths.

Eating just before sleeping, can trigger acid reflux as well as put pressure on the stomach from too much abdominal fat, caused from being overweight.

If your child is overweight, please talk to your doctor about healthy ways to intervene. Acidic foods containing citrus, tomato, or vinegar can trigger acid reflux, as well as chocolate, caffeine, onion, and carbonated drinks. Secondhand tobacco smoke can weaken the LES, which allows acid reflux to take place, and the smoke also stimulates more acid production in the stomach.

A child may have all or only a few of the symptoms of GERD. Children from twelve to twenty-four months with GERD may throw up often, lose weight, cough a lot, wheeze, refuse to eat, or be extra fussy. Children from two to seventeen years may throw up a lot, have stomach aches or sore throats, wheeze, cough, experience weight loss, difficulty swallowing, salty spit, sour burps, heartburn or hoarseness.

A child may not be able to correctly label conditions like “heartburn.” Instead, a young child may use descriptions like, “a bad taste in the mouth,” or “a burning burp in the throat.” Sometimes parents need to be detectives to figure it out.

Diet and lifestyle changes can help to prevent GERD. Avoiding the things mentioned above can help, as well as avoiding tight waistbands on clothing. Also, eating smaller meals more frequently can help reduce acid reflux. It may help to elevate the head of your child’s bed for sleeping, or sitting infants in an upright position, for 30 minutes after feeding. For bottle-fed infants, adding a tablespoon of rice cereal to the formula before each feeding, or using hypoallergenic formula, can cut down on episodes of spitting up. If these suggested interventions don’t eliminate your child’s symptoms, several medications are available to either reduce the symptoms, or heal the damage to the esophagus. In rare instances, surgery may be necessary if nothing else has helped.

For more information please visit the following websites:
Children’s Digestive Health and Nutrition Foundation
North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
Prevacid

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