reflux
Silent reflux can be distressing for both a baby and for everyone concerned with looking after him…
Silentref lux
vomiting) and a baby or young child, who is suffering from silent reflux, is usually far from silent, such is the level of discomfort caused by this distressing condition. When her baby Kane was only a few
S
months old, Nikkie Murray was almost driven to distraction by his constant crying. ‘It really was so distressing,’ says Nikkie. ‘I
couldn’t work out what was making him cry so sorely. I treated him for colic, but that didn’t work. I tried changing his formula but again nothing changed. I made constant trips to the GP’s surgery but we just couldn’t fathom what was going on. I was very anxious too because Kane didn’t seem to be putting weight on at the correct rate and, because I already had my older son Craig, I knew that there was something wrong.’ It was to be another two months before
Nikkie’s son was diagnosed with the distressing condition silent reflux. Most babies will experience reflux at some
point. Baby reflux is the regurgitation, or spitting up, of the stomach’s contents and painful acids due to an immature muscle connecting the stomach and the oesophagus, or reaction from something in the diet. It usually begins at birth or shortly
44MODERNMUM
ilent reflux is actually a bit of a misnomer. For a start, there may be no obvious signs of gastro- oesophageal reflux (such as
thereaſter, diminishes by six months and disappears by one year. Silent reflux is very similar to ordinary
infant reflux but means that the baby doesn’t actually cough or spit the food up because he has been able to swallow the stomach contents. And that’s where the problems start! A baby’s stomach contents are acidic, and so they burn on the way up and back down, causing the baby double the distress and discomfort. Unfortunately, since baby doesn’t spit up, silent reflux is more difficult to diagnose.
Symptoms Te most common symptoms of silent reflux include: • Chronic cough • Sour breath and wet-sounding burps • Sudden bouts of intense crying • Trouble breathing or asthma-like symptoms
• Difficulty feeding • Frequent hiccups • Inhaling food • Spitting up • Difficulty gaining weight • Hoarse voice
Diagnosis Silent reflux is notoriously difficult to diagnose and is oſten mistaken for colic. If
you suspect that your baby may be suffering from silent reflux, you must have the condition diagnosed by your GP or midwife. It’s important to try and have the condition diagnosed as early as possible as silent reflux can lead to complications. Te almost constant presence of stomach acid in a baby’s oesophagus can lead, for example, to redness and irritation and, if leſt untreated, it can also result in a bleeding oesophagus.
Treatment If your GP or midwife confirms silent reflux, then antacid medication is oſten prescribed. Tere are steps, however, that you can take to help alleviate some of your baby’s discomfort.
• Positioning your baby with silent reflux upright during and for 30 minutes aſter feeds can help lessen reflux by keeping stomach contents down
• Propping your baby up when they’re sleeping on their back can also help
• Small frequent feeds, burping oſten during feedings and giving your baby a dummy can all help to lessen their discomfort
• Experts reckon that breastfeeding will reduce the chance that your baby will develop silent reflux; however, it isn’t a guarantee„
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