"Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) occurs when stomach contents reflux, or back up, into the esophagus during or after a meal. The esophagus is the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. A ring of muscle at the bottom of the esophagus opens and closes to allow food to enter the stomach. This ring of muscle is called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). The LES normally opens to release gas after meals. With infants, when the LES opens, stomach contents often reflux into the esophagus and out the mouth, resulting in regurgitation, or spitting up, and vomiting. GER can also occur when babies cough, cry, or strain.
Call your child’s health care provider right away if any of the following occur:
- vomiting large amounts or persistent projectile (forceful) vomiting, particularly in infants younger than 2 months old
- vomiting fluid that is green or yellow or that looks like coffee grounds or blood
- difficulty breathing after vomiting or spitting up
- refusing food that seems to result in weight loss or poor weight gain
- excessive crying and irritability
*If medication is needed, treatment will often start with a class of medications called H2-blockers, also called H2-receptor agonists. These drugs help keep acid from backing up into the esophagus. H2-blockers are often used to treat children with GER because they come in liquid form. H2-blockers include
- cimetidine (Tagamet)
- ranitidine (Zantac)
- famotidine (Pepcid)
- nizatidine (Axid)"
Andréa's going to start taking ranitidine, which is suppose to be very safe, even for premature. Just keep your fingers crossed that she's going to get better!
My little heart...
