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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffMost cases of infant acid reflux clear up on their own. Treatment is typically limited to simple changes in feeding technique — such as smaller, more frequent feedings, interrupting feedings to burp or holding your baby upright during feedings. If you're breast-feeding, your baby's doctor may suggest that you avoid cow's milk or certain other foods. If you feed your baby formula, sometimes switching brands helps.
For babies who have severe infant acid reflux or GERD, more aggressive treatment may be recommended.
- Medication. If your baby is uncomfortable, the doctor may prescribe infant doses of medications commonly used to treat heartburn in adults. Choices may include H-2 blockers, such as cimetidine (Tagamet) or ranitidine (Zantac), or proton pump inhibitors, such as omeprazole (Prilosec) or lansoprazole (Prevacid). It's important to note that otherwise healthy children taking these medications may face an increased risk of certain intestinal and respiratory infections.
- Alternative feeding methods. If your baby isn't growing well, higher calorie feedings or a feeding tube may be recommended.
- Surgery. Rarely, the muscle that relaxes to let food into the stomach (the lower esophageal sphincter) must be surgically tightened so that less acid is likely to flow back into the esophagus. The procedure, known as fundoplication, is usually reserved for the few babies who have reflux severe enough to interfere with breathing or prevent growth. Although surgery can reduce GERD symptoms, the complications are potentially serious — including persistent gagging during feedings.
