Gastroesophageal Reflux
by Christine Wood, MD2 Comments
Q My 3 month old baby girl has had problems since birth. She has constantly screamed in pain for most of the day, hardly sleeping. At first, the doctor said it was a formula problem, then colic, then constipation. Finally, I got fed up and took her to children's hospital where they diagnosed her with reflux. Well, we've been keeping her at an angle, putting one tablespoon for every ounce of formula in her bottle, and she's been on Zantac 3x's a day. Well, she's been a lot better. It's much more bearable now! However, she still has fits starting around seven or eight at night. It doesn't last very long, and we usually just have to let her cry it out. It takes anywhere from 15min to an hour. Then she cries herself to sleep. It's the oddest thing. The hospital ran a milk scan to see to what degree she is refluxing but I haven't gotten them yet. Also, her lips, hand and feet tend to quiver quite often. Almost like a nerve. I don't know why that is. I'm also worried that she will gain too much weight.
A Gastroesophageal reflux, or spitting up can be a cause of babies being very fussy and irritable. It sounds like you are doing the right things to take care of the problem. The brief evening fussiness may be just normal evening fussiness that many babies go through. Some babies have difficulty with some formulas, and a hypoallergenic formula like Alimentum or Nutramigen may be helpful.
However, if she is not very fussy at other times with the formula, this may not be the problem. Quivering of the hands, feet and lips is common in babies, and they usually outgrow this around 3 to 4 months of age. I would suggest that if you are continuing to have problems with her fussiness that is increasing, you may want to seek consultation with a pediatric gastroenterologist. A weight check at the doctor's office will help you monitor weight gain. Dr. Christine Wood is a practicing pediatrician in Southern California. She is the author of "How to Get Kids to Eat Great and Love It," a book that addresses the issues of why and how to feed kids healthy. You can visit her website at http://www.callyour
Read More Articles Like This