SURVIVING AND DEFINING REFLUX IN BABIES

I have two children with reflux, and I am glad to say no one is dead and I am still able to smile.

My oldest is 3 and our little man is almost 1 now.

Friends say where has the time gone, well... slowly, painfully and tearfully.

Surviving and coping with sick reflux babies breaks you down to the ground and it's a slow long recovery process back up again. 

It’s about accepting that your life is different to other Mum's and that your benchmarks aren't the same.

But that is ok.

I had a very difficult time after our 3-year-old girl was born; she cried a lot, was hard to settle and vomited her breast milk up after every feed. It was hard enough to breastfeed with all the stress and then to have it literally thrown back in your face, it breaks your heart.

I remember our couches were always covered in towels and some days I would have to strip her off and me and just jump in the shower, as everything was soaked.

I wasn't sure if this was so different then my friends experiences, I constantly checked with our GP and he said she would just grow out of it... accept she didn't.

When it came time for solids it was painfully long and hard to feed her, I became the master of distraction with ipads, music, toys, sounds, pets, friends you name it!

And this continues still today.

I had no idea what reflux was! 

When baby number two came along, I had been around a few babies, and I knew babies well I knew what " normal " looked like.

It was barely my second day in hospital when I could hear my little boy panting almost with his breath.

Warnings sign of Reflux Number 1

Short panting soft breathes, nothing deep, relaxing or calm. Almost wheezy.

I brought the nurse and doctor in to listen, and was told it was absolutely nothing {silly me}

The first two weeks passed and our boy slept like an angel I thought I was so great.

Then as I weaned off my painkillers so did he.

He was awake, alive and screaming.

The screaming was a distressed scream of pain and nothing could ease it accept holding him 24 hours a day. I was still recovering for a c-section and had a 3 year old to look after. I could barely manage.

I did how ever for another 3 weeks.

We did the usual took him to the doctors; the doctors thought it was nothing and sent us home over and over and over.

A friend recommended I call a Mother Craft Nurse to get help settling him and to give me a break from this hell.

Her name was Michelle, she was an angel. She said you are doing everything right to settle this baby but he can't be settled because... he is very sick and he needs to go to hospital.

This seemed overwhelming, but it was about putting my child before myself and just doing what needed to be done. I was a total mess.

She also spoke to our GP for us and got a referral to the best Pediatrician in the world. Doctor John Feller.

We headed to The Children's Hospital and while waiting our turn, Our baby boy just 6 weeks old had a swollen belly and constant runny pooh that soaked through 3 sets of clothing as we waited.

Warning sign of Reflux Number 2

 Hip cups,

 Both of our children had the hip cups in my belly at least 3 times a day and this continued after they were born, in fact, it is often the first tell tale sign to us as parents that our bub's have grown and need their medication increased.

Doctor Feller came in after hours and hours of hell and crying from me.

He diagnosed our son, who had actually lost a great deal of weight. He had gone from the 75% to the 10% in his first 6 weeks of life and his ribs could be seem through his back and his sternum pocked out his little chest. It was heartbreaking to watch.

I have also found that a lot of kids with Reflux also suffer allergies; both of my children have a lactose allergy and some food allergies.

We stopped breastfeeding, which broke my heart, it took another 7 weeks to stop pumping and crying and punishing my baby and myself moved onto prescription formula, which his little body can handle.

This was the time we learn't and then 2 year old was lactose intolerant as well.

{Kids pooh's aren't meant to be runny and explosive} I never knew this.

Warning sign of Reflux Number 3

Bubbles forming on the lips after feeding or while lying down.

Watch your baby, our youngest has silent reflux, harder to pick up really.

So watch your baby sleep, Silent reflux is when they don't throw up their stomach contents rather keeps swallowing it back down.

Warning sign of Silent Reflux Number 4 

Swallowing, 

When you lay your baby down, stay a while, and you may notice they are trying to fall asleep, drift off for a few minutes and wake screaming.

Watch closely, watch them swallow their stomach contents back down, then scream in pain.

This is silent reflux.

Tip

Raise the end of the bed or even better with young babies sleep them in a rocking baby swing upright,

Forget what you've heard and do what’s best for your baby.

Laying down flat allows the food and acid to rise and causes so much pain.

Keeping baby up right stops that.

So let yourself off the hook and try it.

Warning sign of Reflux Number 4

Baby screams every time it is placed in the car seat.

This is something to watch out for, as the car seat position raises the leg of your baby and squashes their tummy causing pain and bring the food back up.

TIP

Burp baby every 30 mls or every 3 minutes of breastfeeding.

Reflux babies don't need an excuse to bring their milk back up so help them out.

If air is trapped below the milk at any time it will cause a great deal of pain passing through the babies body or a little bump will bring it back up and all the milk with it.

Gas is extremely painful for reflux babies.

So burp as advised.

TIP

A trick we learn't with the bottle that changed the game.

Our baby doctor showed it to us and it made a big difference.

So shake the milk in the bottle and turn push your finger down on the top of the teat and release all the air like a car tire, when you can hear it stop making the sound keep your finger on the bent teat and turn the bottle upside down to feed, it creates a suction and means the baby will get less gas/ air during your feed, Every time the baby takes a break do it over again to create the same suction.

The less air the less pain.

Our little man would scream for hours just to get the gas out.

Warning sign of Reflux Number 5

Screaming for hours to get out gas then relief.

Constipation. If your baby has a bloated tummy and runny pooh consider a lactose allergy.

TIP

Both of our children take high doses of Reflux medication Losec, 

Note it takes a few weeks to get into their blood stream and make a difference, it only lowers the acid in the stomach does not cure reflux or stop the physical action happening. 

Don't was your time with the over the counter drops, we have wasted money and tried everything, they don't work.

Warning Sign of Reflux Number 6.

It is hard to feed or breastfeed/bottle feed your baby, weight loss.

Reflux babies find it hard to suck as it hurts, so feeding even milk can take hours and test you to the moon and back.

TIP

Here are a few reflux life savers, I wouldn't say go and buy them unless they all actually worked for me.

A baby Bjorn, don't be afraid to wear baby in it till your back breaks.

We are still using it today on our 12 month old little man.

It supports your back well and settles baby upright.

A sleeping wedge, this is the only one I would actually say BUY, as it stops baby from rolling off, we used it when we moved both kids to the cot after the " swing chair "

A baby Bouncer, Just a basic one, We got the Big W Aqua Turtle style, $50 and a lifesaver, It meant baby could be elevated for a good period of time after his milk and it would also give me a little break, we actually used it when starting solids as well.

A Magic chair AKA the swing chair. We used the Fisher Price rainforest swing chair.

Best thing in the world.

A dummy, first time around I had to prove I was a good mother, 2nd time I had to get through it, fact is the dummy helps baby swallow back the acid and soothes them too. It helps.

The fabulous Bumbo Chair, allows baby to sit up with support and join in with the family.






Warning signs of Reflux in your toddler child.

1.            Having trouble swallowing meat or solid food

2.            Hiding food in their cheeks during a meal.

3.            Drinking large amounts of water and asking for water during the meal

4.            After drinking, seeming relieved and saying they feel better.

5.            Squeezing in their tummy and pressing on it during a meal.

6.            Taking an hour to eat toast

7.            Telling you their tummy hurts.

8.            Preferring puree rather then real food

9.            Not eating even when at a party and offered junk food.

10.       Poor weight gain.

I was totally devastated to learn over the last few Months my precious 3 year old had been battling reflux her entire life and I didn't realize.

I wasn't until we took her to hospital after she had been vomiting up blood for 5 days.

We had been told to go by our doctor and sent home over and over, until they saw blood in her stool and believed me, how crazy is that.

Long story short, due to the reflux and damage over her 3 short years she tore in her tummy and throat with a virus and it was pooling in her tummy and she'd vomit it up.

After an Endoscopy our worse fears where realized whey she had many ulcers and scar tissue and her tummy was red raw from the damage. It all made sense.

She is managing well. Feeding is trying with two reflux babies. We have finally got our little man drinking all his milk after that struggle and food is a new battle for both of them.

Usually ending in my in tears and screaming in distress.

We are moving forward though and will keep you posted on new tips we discover along our road.

I also wanted to say how lonely this time has been; I didn't find any support with the reflux association or with community support systems.

My Mother friends probably did the most, cooking a few dinners here and there but mostly a friend Alex who has also been through this, always offering to lighten the load and step up to the plate to assist and get her hands dirty. She is a Yes person and you need at least one of those in your life.

What is reflux?

Gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) happens when stomach contents are brought back up into the oesophagus (throat or gullet). Reflux happens when the muscle in the lower part of the oesophagus (called the lower oesophageal sphincter) relaxes. All children experience reflux at some time, particularly after meals.

Some doctors consider regurgitation to be just another name for reflux. However, most doctors believe this term should be used for when patients reflux stomach contents into their mouth. Regurgitation usually stops by about 12 - 18 months of age. It occurs spontaneously and unlike vomiting is effortless.

Common symptoms of GOR Disease

A small number of children with reflux develop complications including inflammation of the oesophagus called oesophagitis. Symptoms of oesophagitis can include:

11.         Vomiting or regurgitation of blood-stained or coffee ground material.

12.         Inadequate weight gain (failure to thrive) due to vomiting and/or poor feeding.

13.         Feeding difficulties especially in younger children and infants.

14.         Irritability and unsettled behaviour during or after feeds in infants.

15.         Heartburn in older children.

16.         Tummy pain especially after meals in older children.

17.         Passing black tarry stool.

GOR and colic in infants

Babies younger than three months who cry a lot and cannot be easily comforted are said to have "colic". Colicky infants are otherwise healthy infants who are thriving (gaining weight) and who do not have symptoms of reflux. A small number of babies have non-specific irritability related to reflux. Generally, however, reflux does not cause colic.

Diagnosis

Your doctor can generally tell if your child has reflux disease from your child's health history and by examining your child. If regurgitation or vomiting is the only symptom of reflux, then further tests are not necessary. Special tests such as x-rays (Barium Meal), nuclear scan, endoscopy and oesophageal pH study may be needed if your doctor thinks there might be complications from your child's reflux.

Treatment

If otherwise healthy, your child does not need any special treatment. In fact, most remedies prescribed for such infants do not work. Uncomplicated regurgitation in babies usually resolves itself by 12 - 18 months of age.

However, if your child has complications due to the reflux such as:

•              excessive vomiting and not gaining enough weight;

•              vomiting blood;

•              is complaining of pain or is unsettled especially after meal times;

•              is choking, gagging or coughing from the reflux,

some medications or a change in diet may be needed. The treatment is supervised by your doctor and/or paediatrician.

See your doctor if your baby:

•              Is vomiting large amounts or also has diarrhoea.

•              Is vomiting blood or bile.

•              Also has blood in bowel motions or is passing black tarry stools.

•              Has slow weight gain.

•              Has persistent regurgitation after 18 months of age.

For publications recommended by our hospitals' experts, please visit our book shop.

The Children's Hospital at Westmead Tel: (02) 9845 0000 Fax: (02) 9845 3562 www.chw.edu.au

Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick Tel: (02) 9382 1688 Fax: (02) 9382 1451 www.sch.edu.au

Kaleidoscope, Hunter Children's Health Network Tel: (02) 4921 3670 Fax: (02) 4921 3599 www.kaleidoscope.org.au