Gastroesophageal Reflux In Children: Causes, Symptoms And Effective Treatments

Children often experience gastroesophageal reflux disease. This condition can affect a child's development. Parents need to know the causes and precautions to know how to handle.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease in children is what disease?
Gastroesophageal reflux is a condition in which the food from the stomach backs up into the esophagus, common in infants, children and adults.
For children, gastroesophageal reflux can be physiological or pathological, depending on the new type that affects the development and health of the child

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Classification of gastroesophageal reflux in children and how to identify
Gastroesophageal reflux in children is classified into physiological reflux and pathological reflux, namely:
Physiological reflux
Age encountered is children under 6 months old
The common symptom is to have milk repeatedly many times a day but children still have normal activities, gain weight regularly, do not have recurrent wheezing ..
Cause: the mother breastfeeds the wrong position, causing milk to flow back into her mouth.



In addition, due to the unstable digestive system of the child, the lower esophageal sphincter of the child opens and closes unevenly.
This situation will gradually decrease over time, not least until the child is over 1 year old.
Children are also susceptible to stomach reflux
Pathological reflux
Occurs in children over 1 year of age
Symptoms caused by children are often vomiting, hoarseness, wheezing during sleep, frequent irritability, constant crying, bronchial asthma, recurrent pneumonia, weight gain, malnutrition Nursing, anorexia
The main cause is due to children with birth defects such as diaphragmatic hernia, gastric prolapse, making the lower esophageal sphincter of children weak, children with cerebral palsy, systemic infection, congenital heart valve openings ...
If the child has gastroesophageal reflux disease, parents should take the child to a pediatric gastroenterologist for an accurate diagnosis of the condition and give appropriate and timely treatment to avoid causing complications.
Is gastric reflux in children dangerous?
Gastroesophageal reflux in a child without proper care will lead to many dangerous complications, namely:
Gastrointestinal Complications: Children have esophagitis with many different levels, which will affect their eating activities The most serious is esophageal barrett - inflammation of the esophagus, narrow esophageal passageway that leads to difficulty in the circulation of food from the mouth to the stomach.




Respiratory Complications: A child has wheezing, prolonged coughing, and regular treatment does not relieve the symptoms. When reflux, acid from the stomach will flow up the esophagus causing vocal cords in the throat to thicken, making the baby wheeze, hoarseness. Worse, gastroesophageal reflux in children is also related to the child's asthma.
Oral and ear-nose-throat complications: Children with pathological reflux can have ear infections, sinusitis, tooth erosion, delayed weight gain, malnutrition, and long-term effects on the development of behavior. young.
Gastroesophageal reflux symptoms are common in children
The child vomits or vomits a lot of milk, mostly by mouth or nose.
Children often fussy, anorexia, sleepless nights.
Slow weight gain, more severe malnutrition, prolonged anemia
For older children, there may be pain behind the sternum, accompanied by uncomfortable heartburn.




When there are complications in the respiratory tract will have manifestations such as coughing, wheezing, sometimes cyanosis. Children may be hospitalized for pneumonia or apnea, directly threatening their life if not detected in time.
Causes of stomach reflux in children
Drinking milk in addition, drinking milk can also make your baby stomach reflux
Physiological causes
Unstable digestive organs: In young children, the digestive system and the stomach are not yet complete, moreover, the stomach is located closer to the chest than adults.
The esophageal sphincter has not developed: The esophageal sphincter does not open and close effectively, easily causing food to flow back into the esophagus.
Food consumed daily: Children often absorb nutrients mainly through milk or porridge. These products are all in liquid form, so they easily slip through the small opening in the sphincter.
Drinking formula: Children who use cow's milk are more likely to develop gastroesophageal reflux than breastfed. Because cow's milk is slowly digested, it stays in the stomach longer.




Breastfeeding position: Usually babies are breastfed in a horizontal position, especially at night. However, in this position, the stomach will be horizontal and make it easier for the milk to reach the stomach when it reaches the stomach.
Pathological reasons
Some congenital conditions also cause children to have gastroesophageal reflux disease, such as a diaphragmatic hernia or severe prolapse. These diseases weaken the muscles of the lower esophagus, causing food to flow back up into the esophagus and are common in children under 1 year of age. Some children are also more likely to have gastroesophageal reflux if they have cerebral palsy, systemic infection, heart valve leaks, etc.
How to care for children with stomach reflux
For young children
Divide the amount of milk in each feed of the child, about 30-60ml / time. For babies who suck more than 60ml / time, then after 60ml, continue to hold the baby in a high head position, and help them burp by patting the baby's back, then feed the baby again. Parents note, in this case should not carry the child on the shoulder because it may.

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