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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffSigns and symptoms of infant acid reflux may include:
- Spitting up
- Irritability during or after feedings
- Coughing
- Wheezing
- Refusing to eat
- Crying when placed on his or her back, especially after a feeding
In severe cases, your baby may arch his or her back while crying and this may look like your baby is having a seizure.
When to see a doctor
Normal infant acid reflux doesn't interfere with a baby's growth or well-being. Contact your baby's doctor if your baby:
- Isn't gaining weight
- Spits up forcefully, causing stomach contents to shoot out of his or her mouth
- Spits up green or yellow fluid
- Spits up blood or a material that looks like coffee grounds
- Resists feedings
- Has blood in his or her stool
- Has other signs of illness, such as fever, diarrhea or difficulty breathing
- Begins vomiting at age 6 months or older
Some of these signs may indicate more-serious conditions, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or pyloric stenosis. GERD is a severe version of reflux that can cause pain, vomiting and poor weight gain. Pyloric stenosis is a rare condition in which a narrowed valve between the stomach and the small intestine prevents stomach contents from emptying into the small intestine.
- 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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