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Home › Articles › Newborn Care › Infant GERD

Infant GERD

Signs, Symptoms and Treatments of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

By Teri Brown

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GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, is making the news far more than it used to. It seems that almost everyone knows someone who has chronic acid reflux. The supermarket shelf is packed with an overwhelming choice of digestive aids, indicating that America has a real problem. What most people don't know is this problem can actually start at birth.

Rose Roccamo's baby, Rosina, was just 3 days old when she was diagnosed with infant GERD. The Roccamos had just brought their beautiful, healthy baby girl home from the hospital when suddenly she stopped breathing. "My sister was filming Rosina's first bath," says Roccamo. "Suddenly Rosina stopped breathing, her body was arched and stiff and she was also turning purple. I yelled for someone to call 911."

Rosina spent four days in the hospital where they diagnosed her immediately with reflux. She received an upper gastrointestinal (GI) scan and was given an appointment with a specialist. The specialist ordered a pH probe, a procedure that tests the level of acid in your esophagus.

"This was the definitive diagnosis," says Roccamo.

What Is GERD?
Jan Gambino, the associate director of the Pediatric/Adolescent Gastreosophageal Reflux Association, believes it is important for parents to understand exactly what reflux is. Reflux is the abnormal backwashing of stomach contents and acid up the food tube, or esophagus. The gate at the end of the esophagus relaxes to allow food into the stomach, but with reflux it relaxes at the wrong time and allows acid to wash back up. Typical symptoms include vomiting, irritability and poor sleep and eating habits.


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Re: Infant GERD by Grandma Michelle on 10/28/2008 11:13AM

This article really hit home for me and my daughter. My granddaughter had a similar episode at the age of 14 days. She stopped breathing and did the arching of the back, eyes in the back of her head, etc. We rushed her to the ER and then were transported to a NICU for several days. She too had all the test and the pH probe. She is home now and on Reglan and Pepcid and we are do to follow up with a GI specialist this week. These episodes are scary and we still went to the ER with one the other night. Thanks for the insight and information! It feels great to know that this will get better.

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