Treating Infant Acid Reflux With Compounding

I am sure you are familiar with baby spit-up if you have a baby. In most cases, it is very typical, and you shouldn’t worry. However, there are instances when it is a sign of infant acid reflux. Acid reflux in infants is when the stomach’s content backs up into the throat and esophagus. If your child has it, they will spit up more frequently and might vomit.

Signs of Infant Acid Reflux

Look out for the following signs:

• Wheezing and gurgling after or during a feeding
• Drooling more than usual
• Uncontrollable crying
• Irritability
• Poor sleep, excessive wiggling, and arching of the back
• Problems with feeding
• Inadequate weight gain
• Spit up might look green

When it comes to different options for fixing infant acid reflux, the treatment essentially depends on the severity of the problem as well as the age of your infant. Sometimes, lifestyle changes (we will discuss that later) can work wonders. Other times, however, proper treatment is needed.

Diagnosis of Infant Acid Reflux

First, the doctor will begin with a physical exam and ask about your child’s symptoms. If your baby’s health is fine, and they are growing as expected, then further testing is needed. If the doctor suspects something deeper, your doctor might recommend the following tests:

• Ultrasound. The imaging test is for detecting pyloric stenosis.
• Lab Tests. The blood and urine tests identify/rule out possible causes of vomiting and poor weight gain.
• Esophageal pH Monitoring. To measure the acidity levels in your baby’s esophagus, the doctor will insert a tiny thin tube through the baby’s nose or/and mouth into the esophagus.
• X-Rays. These images will detect abnormalities in your child’s digestive tract.
• Upper Endoscopy. In very complex cases, an upper endoscopy is done by passing a unique tube equipped with a camera lens and light through the mouth of the baby, all the way into the first part of a small intestine.

Treatment for Infant Acid Reflux

In most cases, making minor adjustments to the feeding routine will ease the infant’s reflux. In very rare cases, your infant will require treatment which we will discuss below:

Medications

Typically, the doctor will prescribe short-term acid-blocking medicines to give your child. Doctors usually recommend these medications when conservative treatments haven’t worked for your infant in the past, your child has poor weight gain, refuses to feed, has an inflamed esophagus, and struggles with chronic asthma and reflux. If the lifestyle changes haven’t worked for your child and they have uncomplicated reflux, the doctor might recommend the use of medication.

Surgery

In rare cases, your doctor may decide that your infant needs surgery. The lower esophageal sphincter is surgically tightened during the procedure to prevent acid from flowing backward. It prevents growth as well as any interference with your baby’s breathing.

Compounding For Treating Acid Reflux

Unfortunately, there aren’t any commercially available meds to treat infant acid reflux. A lot of formulations that doctors prescribe at the moment are bitter tasting. It makes it very hard to give babies the due dosage. At Burt’s Rx Pharmacy, we can prepare meds for acid reflux for your infant with a pleasant taste. It makes the process of medication administration easy and effective.

Tips to Prevent Infant Acid Reflux

In most cases, a few lifestyle changes to your baby’s routine can manage infant acid reflux easily. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Frequent Feedings

Increasing the frequency of your feedings while decreasing the amount of milk can sometimes bring about a considerable change in your child’s health. If your baby’s stomach is too full, they are more likely to spit up. Less-full stomach means less pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter, which prevents reflux. Feeding on demand is also a great way to ensure your baby isn’t overfed.

Positioning While Feeding

Feeding your baby upright is extremely helpful for preventing acid reflux. Keep your baby in this position for at least 30 minutes after the feed. Don’t use a sleep positioner while feeding your baby because it can do more harm than good.

Pay Attention to the Bottle and Nipple Size

You have to keep the nipple filled with milk all the time to prevent air gulping. You can try various anti-colic nipples to see which one suits your child best. Avoid any nipples with large holes. Opt for slow-flow nipples instead.

Thicken Your Breast Milk or Formula

Thickening the food prevents stomach contents from sloshing into the esophagus, significantly decreasing acid reflux symptoms. Sometimes, adding a small amount of infant rice cereal to thicken the consistency of milk will result in less spit-up. For this one, you will have to consult your pediatrician first.

Burp Them Often

Regardless of the chosen type of feed, it is important to burp your infant frequently and adequately. It can immensely help with reflux symptoms. Typically, bottle-fed infants will burp after every one to two ounces, and breastfed babies must be burped every time they pull off the nipple.

Sleeping Position

Make sure your infant sleeps on their back on a firm mattress. Please ensure that their sleeping area doesn’t have loose objects that can go onto their face.

Key Takeaways

I hope you found this article helpful and informative. In most cases, a few minor changes to your baby’s feeding routine can fix infant acid reflux. However, if medication is required, compounding is the best option. For more information on how we can make the medicine child-friendly, reach out to our team. If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below.