Everything you need to understand about managing GERD in kids

GERD stands for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and this is not only confined to adults because children can also easily suffer from this particular potentially harmful and uncomfortable condition. Understanding the symptoms and seeking the proper diagnosis is very important for the parents as well as the kids so that recognition and addressing of the concerns will be very successfully done. GERD occurs when the stomach acid is frequently flowing back into the tube connecting the mouth and the stomach. This particular backwash or acid will irritate the lining of the esophagus and also will create issues that eventually lead to discomfort in kids. In such issues, parents need to remain in touch with the pediatric gastroenterologist in Madinaguada so that addressing the concerns will be very successfully done and everyone will have a clear idea about things.

Some of the common symptoms associated with GERD in children are:

1. Frequent vomiting: Regular spitting up is very common in the infant but excessive vomiting will indicate the problem of GERD
2. Irritation during feeding: Infants who are facing the problem of GERD will be consistently facing and crying during the feeding and this particular problem will be caused by this discomfort from the asset reflux which makes the feeding time very much stressful.
3. Failure to gain weight: If your child is consistently not all gaining weight at a normal rate then definitely this could be a problem associated with GERD which is the main reason that consulting the experts in this case as soon as possible is important
4. Regular heartburns: Another primary symptom in older children will be that they are consistently feeling a burning sensation in the chest, especially after eating or lying down
5. Abdominal pain: Persistent stomach pain can also be a sign of GERD in children who are old enough to describe their symptoms
6. Chronic cough and soreness in throat: Ongoing cough is also a problem related to GERD which is the main reason that taking such particular symptoms seriously is important for the parents.

Following are the details you need to know about the diagnosis of pediatrics GERD:

1. Understanding the medical history and physical examination: The very first step which the best gastroenterologist paediatric Madinaguada will be proceeding with is the study of medical history along with physical examination. This will help eliminate the common causes of symptoms and assessment of the intensity of the condition very successfully.
2. Proceeding with the diagnostic testing: This is another very common approach to proceeding with the diagnosis because in this particular case, the expert might require clear images of the stomach and other associated organs which further will help provide them with the opportunity of identifying the abnormalities. Determining the pH monitoring of the human body is also very important in this case so that things are accordingly sorted out. Understanding the basics of endoscopy is also very important because it will provide the doctors with the opportunity to examine the body from the inside and further the tissue samples if required.

Some of the common details you need to know about managing GERD in children have been explained as follows:

1. Proceeding with the dietary adjustments: Diet plays a very significant role in managing the GERD symptoms which is the main reason that parents need to have a clear idea about which of the foods are triggering the acid reflux and how to identify and avoid them. Common trigger foods in this particular case will be spicy food items, acidic food items, chocolate, caffeine, or any other fried options. So, providing the kids with frequent and small meals is important and further you should also focus on teaching the kids about avoiding the situation of laying down after the meals. In addition to this, you should also focus on setting up a limit on carbonated beverages because encouraging the kids to drink water instead is a good idea in comparison to any other carbonated beverages.
2. Elevating the head while sleeping: One of the major options for managing GERD at night is to ensure that the head of the child is perfectly elevated at the time of sleeping because gravity in this case will help keep the stomach acid manageable which further helps in reducing the chances of nighttime reflux. Using the inclined mattresses is a very good idea in this case because it will help provide people with adjustable bedding options which further will provide people with a good number of benefits. Also encouraging the children to avoid lying down immediately after the meals is important because they can trigger the reflux of the acid.
3. Focusing on maintaining a healthy weight: Any child who is overweight will be very at a high risk of developing GERD because the excessive weight will be putting a lot of pressure on the stomach which eventually will increase the likelihood of acid reflux. So, encouraging the kids to develop a healthy lifestyle is important because this will include regular physical activity along with a balanced diet so that management of the symptoms will be very well done. When the weight of the children will remain within the range then definitely it will be contributing to the overall well-being very successfully.
4. Monitoring and tracking the symptoms: Keeping track of the symptoms of the child is very important so that identification of the patterns and triggers will be successfully done. Creating a symptom diary to note what are food items suitable for your kid is important so that there is no scope for any kind of discomfort at any step. Consistent monitoring, in this case, will provide you with the opportunity to recognize the symptoms and seek medical advice promptly.

Apart from the points mentioned above it is the responsibility of every parent to consistently remain in touch with the paediatrician in Bhubaneswar so that they can very perfectly encourage healthy eating habits among the kids by limiting the snacks before bedtime and creating a consistent sleeping schedule. In this way, everyone will be able to prevent long-term complications and further will be able to ensure that children will remain healthy and comfortable in the long run very successfully.