Tummy Aches: A Sign of Something More?

from Shine Newsletter, Spring 2007

You know when you experience the telltale burning of heartburn, but would you be able to recognize the signs in your infant? Infants communicate their distress from heartburn through fussiness and by vomiting after eating.

If your child suffers from frequent bouts of heartburn, he could be experiencing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Though GERD is not a serious health concern, treatment can help ease your child’s discomfort. The Children’s Hospital offers leading methods and expert gastroenterologists to help diagnose and treat the condition.  

What Causes GERD

When a child experiences GERD, it’s typically because the muscular valve between the stomach and the esophagus is weak or relaxes too easily. As a result, stomach acid moves backwards from the stomach into the esophagus during a process known as “reflux.” This can cause typical GERD-related problems such as spitting up and burping.

“GERD is extremely common in infants,” said Jason Soden, MD, pediatric gastroenterologist on staff at Children’s and assistant professor of pediatric gastroenterology with the University of Colorado at Denver Health Sciences Center. “Parents should schedule an appointment with their pediatrician if it is causing their child extensive vomiting, pain or feeding difficulties.”

Leading the Way

Two ways The Children’s Hospital diagnoses GERD are through a 24-hour pH study — the gold standard for diagnosing GERD — or an impedance monitoring study, the newest advancement in GERD diagnostics. Both studies measure reflux in the esophagus over a 24-hour period, and can help to correlate your child’s symptoms with reflux episodes. If acid levels are consistently high, it indicates GERD may be present.

“With impedance testing, we can catch things now that might not have been detected on traditional pH-level monitoring devices,” Dr. Soden said.

As a result, physicians can recommend the best type of medical therapy or surgical treatment to repair the damaged valve.

If your child is experiencing the symptoms of GERD, consider asking your child’s primary care physician for a referral to the gastroenterology specialists at The Children’s Hospital.

Signs of GERD

Parents can watch for the following symptoms of GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, in their infants and children:

• Frequent or recurring vomiting after eating
• Frequent or persistent cough
• Refusal to eat or difficulty eating (choking or gagging)
• Heartburn, gas, abdominal pain or colicky behavior (frequent crying or fussiness)
• Regurgitation and re-swallowing