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Recent statistics show that children from 3 to 7 are victims of acid reflux symptoms between 2 and 8% of the time, and that for infants 20% is the real percentage that suffers. Since the 1990s, there has been an increase in infant gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Infants challenged on a developmental or neurological level are more likely to be prone to GERD. Before getting into the real causes and menaces of GERD in babies, let's make a quick survey of the cause, which is local and immediate for this medical discomfort. Plainly put, acid reflux is when the digestive system fails to operate properly, in particular the weakening of the LES being most often the reason for this. The LES is the lower esophageal sphincter. When it becomes weakened and cannot shut off all the stomach contents in the stomach, then those contents can be thrown back up into the throat, past the larynx and even into the upper breathing passage. Reflux is not only the exception. Normal digestive backpressure may cause this, for example after feeding, defecating, coughing or crying. It is a problem that may also lead to serious complications of health with the likes of feeding problems, pain, voice ailments, infections, ulcers, even cancer. Many infants exhibit vomiting on a regular basis as mild to moderate "spitting up", which does not in itself cause distress, from the mouth or nose. GERD and normal vomiting are therefore easy to confuse in infants. Diagnosis of GERD can be especially problematical. Because of the limited capacity of their esophagus, infants vomit or regurgitate more than adults. To further complicate mattes, indications of something amiss may be difficult to pinpoint, especially as infants are incapable of explaining in words. When your infant suffers from GERD, a number of supplementary symptoms appear. For instance, as GERD vomiting causes pain, babies who vomit too often, cry or scream for hours on end or lie awake continuously, might suffer from this. Other symptoms can include pain in the abdomen, enlargement of the adenoids, recurrent coughing, infections of the middle ear, asthma, anemia, vomiting of blood (known as hematemesis), a high-pitched breathing sound, croup that is repetitive, arching of the back and inflamed nose and /or sinus. Early diagnosis and treatment is justified, and they are prerequisites for your infant to return to safety and good health. An appointment with a gastroenterologist or an ENT (ear, nose, throat) doctor is the best solution for an accurate diagnosis for your infant. The threat from ignoring acid reflux in infants is that it may evolve into further serious complications as well. An infant who comes to believe that feeding will be painful may stop breastfeeding and lose weight. Inherently serious conditions such as erosive esophagitis can also be the result of gastroesophageal reflux disease. If a diagnosis of GERD is the doctor's opinion, then parents must make a choice of treatment. Options of remedies for an infant with gastroesophageal reflux disease are of three kinds: surgical; medications (over the counter or prescription); or a holistic program. Surgical solutions are rarely implemented, because of the threat of serious complications exceeding those of acid reflux itself. A surgical procedure called Nissan Fundoplication is one option, the goal being to reduce looseness in the channel between the esophagus and stomach. Prescription medicaments are also undesirable because: 1. Medicaments are too focused on symptoms of GERD (such as acid generation) but do not attack fundamental causes, such as inner body triggers and factors, lifestyle, and diet. 2. Medications have even more risks for infants than adults. Cisapride with its serious side effect of arrythmia of the heart was taken off the shelves for that very reason. Pneumonia and Tourette's syndrome are some of the subsequent effects of other common medications. As prescribed reflux medications, Reglan and bethanechol for example have never been tested for babies. 3. Your baby's autoimmune system may also be compromised by such Studies done recently show the benefit of all natural holistic treatments of GERD. Studies by Rudolph, Mazur and Liptak also published in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology indicated that changing from cow's milk formula to a formula based in casein hydrolysate could be better for infants who "spit up". Other studies done by Ravelli, Tobanelli and Volpi which appeared in the same Journal in 2001, showed that formula based on cow's milk can result in delayed gastric emptying in infants with allergy to milk proteins. For infants with GERD, breastfeeding turns out to have significant positive points compared to any formula for babies, because milk from the breast gives faster digestive transit and overall digestion. The conclusions above as well as many others reinforce the theory that infant GERD is not local in its manifestation (the esophagus only), but in fact that it is a bodily reaction to a set of factors that are internal, dietary and environmental. This explains why the holistic approach taken by holistic medicine which focuses on protecting your infant from gastroesophageal reflux disease can be safe and also the most effective choice in the long term. Had you heard that the best way to protect your infant from the distress and pain of GERD symptoms is to choose a holistic approach in conjunction with comprehensive moves towards a natural lifestyle and diet?
Article Source: http://www.writedot.com
Jeff Martin is a certified nutritionist and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, Heartburn No More . To Learn More About Jeff Martins Unique Holistic Acid Reflux Cure System Visit: Infant GERD
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