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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffIf your baby has infant acid reflux, you'll likely start by seeing your child's pediatrician. Because appointments can be brief, it's a good idea to arrive well prepared. Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment, and what to expect from your doctor.
What you can do
- Write down any symptoms your baby is experiencing. Note when the baby spits up. Is it every time he or she feeds? How much liquid is your baby spitting up? Does it seem like he or she is throwing up everything eaten?
- Make a list of key information. How often do you feed your baby? How often do those feeding sessions last? How often do you burp your baby during feedings? Are you breast-feeding. If not, what formula are you using, and have you recently switched formulas?
- Write down questions to ask your doctor.
Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions can help you make the most of your time together. Some basic questions you might want to ask your doctor include:
- What's the most likely cause of my baby's symptoms?
- Does my baby need any tests?
- Does this mean something is wrong with my baby?
- What treatments are available?
- What can I do to help my baby?
- Am I feeding my baby too much? Or, am I feeding my baby too often?
- Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take with me? What websites do you recommend?
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. Being ready to answer them may reserve time to go over points you want to spend more time on. Your doctor may ask:
- When did your baby first begin experiencing symptoms?
- Does your baby spit up with every feeding, or only occasionally?
- How is your baby's temperament? Is he or she content between feedings?
- Have you recently switched from breast-feeding to bottle-feeding? Or, have you switched infant formulas?
- How often do you feed your baby?
- How much does your baby eat at each feeding?
- Does the same person feed your baby every time?
- If you have different caregivers, does everyone feed the baby the same way each time?
- In what position does your baby sleep?
- Does anything seem to improve your baby's symptoms?
- What, if anything, appears to worsen the symptoms?
What you can do in the meantime
While you're waiting to see your baby's doctor, giving your baby smaller, more frequent feedings may help reduce the reflux. It also may help to keep your baby upright during feedings, and to take more frequent breaks to burp the baby.
- Tighe MP, et al. Managing gastro-oesophageal reflux in infancy. Archives of Disease in Childhood. 2010;95:243.
- Gastroesophageal reflux in infants. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gerdinfant/gerdinfant.pdf. Accessed June 22, 2010.
- Winter HS. Gastroesophageal reflux in infants. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 22, 2010.
- Vandenplas Y, et al. Pediatric gastroesophageal reflux clinical practice guidelines: Joint recommendations of the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) and the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (ESPGHAN). Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 2009;49:498.
- Sondheimer JM, et al. Gastrointestinal tract. In: Hay WW, et al. Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Pediatrics. 19th ed. New York, N.Y.; McGraw-Hill: 2009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3403837. Accessed June 18, 2010.
- Hoecker JL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 24, 2010.
- FDA Drug Safety Communication: Possible increased risk of fractures of the hip, wrist and spine with the use of proton pump inhibitors. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm213206.htm. Accessed August 4, 2010.
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