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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:^{1 2}

• 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:³

• 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 Heartburn, What are the symptoms of GERD?

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:³

• 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:³

• Taking an 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.

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. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.