Learn about Reflux in children symptoms from Consumer Reports Health.

Reflux in children

What are the symptoms of GERD in children?

The most obvious symptom of GERD in children is vomiting.

Most babies sometimes bring up their food. It only becomes a problem if it happens often, and if your child has other symptoms such as:

Source:
Herbst JJ.
Textbook of gastroenterology and nutrition in infancy. 2nd edition.
Raven Press, New York, U.S.A.; 1989.

Source:
Nelson SP, Chen EH, Syniar GM, et al.
Prevalence of symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux during infancy.
Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. 1997; 151: 569-572.

Stomach pain
Feeding difficulties
Failure to thrive and grow
Being irritable and crying a lot
Frequent back arching.

You should talk to your doctor if your baby:

Brings up a large amount of most feeds
Brings up vomit that looks like coffee grounds. This might mean your child's stomach or esophagus is bleeding
Doesn't feed properly
Seems distressed a lot of the time
Isn't gaining weight properly.

Older children with GERD tend to have symptoms more like those of adults, such as:

Source:
Rudolph CD, Mazur LJ, Liptak GS, et al.
Guidelines for evaluation and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux in infants and children: recommendations of the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition.
Journal of Pediatrics and Gastroenterology and Nutrition 2001; 32 (supplement 2): S1-S31.

Heartburn (a burning sensation in their chest)
Trouble swallowing
A lump in their throat
Bad-tasting, watery fluid coming into the mouth.

For more, see What are the symptoms of GERD? in our section on heartburn.

There are lots of reasons why young children may have symptoms like these. Your doctor can check if it is GERD.

Your doctor will usually decide what is wrong by:

Examining your child
Asking questions about your child's symptoms.

Your doctor may suggest you keep a diary of how much food your child takes, and how often food is brought back. You may need to weigh your child regularly yourself, or have your child weighed at the clinic, to keep a check on whether your child is losing or putting on weight.

Occasionally, your doctor may refer you to see a specialist, who may do other tests such as:

Taking an

X-ray
X-rays are pictures taken of the inside of your body. They are done by passing very small amounts of radiation through your body and onto film. X-rays can also be used as a treatment, such as in radiation therapy for cancer.

X-ray of your child's esophagus and stomach
Measuring the amount of acid in your child's esophagus
Putting a narrow tube through your child's mouth and down into the esophagus to look inside and, if necessary, taking a sample of tissue. This is called a

biopsy
Biopsy is when doctors remove some tissue from a part of your body, so that it can be examined under a microscope.

biopsy.

Sources for the information on this page:

Herbst JJ.Textbook of gastroenterology and nutrition in infancy. 2nd edition.Raven Press, New York, U.S.A.; 1989.

Nelson SP, Chen EH, Syniar GM, et al.Prevalence of symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux during infancy.Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. 1997; 151: 569-572.

Rudolph CD, Mazur LJ, Liptak GS, et al.Guidelines for evaluation and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux in infants and children: recommendations of the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition.Journal of Pediatrics and Gastroenterology and Nutrition 2001; 32 (supplement 2): S1-S31.

This information was last updated on Nov 06, 2008

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
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