silent reflux

[Lolokins]

Afer tryin gaviscon infacol and carobel gp has confirmed our four week old daughter has silent reflux and prescribed Losec Mups (omeprazole). Gp told me to mix half a 10mg tablet with 5mls water and feed to baby using wee medicine syringe. It was tough goin there was quite a bit of gaggin and coughin but eventually got the fluid in. Then when I looked in the syringe a lot if the wee lumps are still in there and I've heard these r the important stuff. Any suggestions on better ways to get her to take this medicine?

[bakingtins]

Use the orange syringes that come with infant neurofen ( bigger hole than normal syringe) Take the syringe apart, put the tablet half into the syringe barrel, replace plunger. Suck up some water ( try 1ml) and allow the tablet to dissolve, then squirt into babies mouth. There will be some of the little balls left, suck up a bit more water to resuspend and repeat. You need to get 99% of the little balls in as they contain the omeprazole. you can do it in 2 goes with a bit of practice.

[bakingtins]

Also, I'm surprised you have been prescribed Losec so early ones it's not licensed in babies, they are supposed to try ranitidine first. I'm not saying complain, since Omeprazole was the drug that worked best for us and it took 4m to get it, but the GP should have discussed with you the reasons for not following the prescribing cascade.
Get hold of a copy of Colic Solved by gastro-paed Dr Bryan Vartebedian and read up on cows milk protein intolerance. It's a v common underlying cause of reflux and if it's not addressed no meds will work properly. GPs tend to be pretty poorly informed about it.

[beccajoh]

I'm surprised your GP didn't try ranitidine first...

[Tonicandgin]

My lg was prescribed Losec. Took a few days to kick in, but was amazing.

Ranitidine isn't licensed for very little babies which is why you've been prescribed Losec. Paed and GP both explained so it's normal.

[BookTart]

We did what bakingtins suggested with the Nurofen syringe but found we still didn't get all the little balls of medicine. It got better when she'd take liquid from a spoon, but we still lose a fair bit I think. It has been brilliant for us; it took 6 weeks but she's much happier now.

DD is 8mo and on the same dosage as your little one - is it not weight dependent? We had to wait for a paeds appointment to get anything other than Gaviscon, so I'm pleased they are being more proactive with your DD.

[missbluebird]

I find it dissolves better if you mix it with breast milk or formula in a pot then stand the pot in some boiling water to warm it slightly. You need to mix it vigorously too. The other plus of doing this is that it easier for them to take if mixed with milk as they are familiar with the taste already. I syringe it really slowly in 0.5ml at a time.

DS has take it for months now and I have never had a syringe that did not have some purple bits in. This was the also the case when we were in hospital and the nurses did it so i wouldn't worry if there is some left in the syringe.

[Lolokins]

Thanks everyone

[MsPickle]

Ask your GP to prescribe the oral suspension. It's worth the fight (it's much more expensive, around £150 a bottle) and needs to be kept in the fridge, with only a 30 day shelf life. But having spent months messing with tablets it gave us amazing respite from wrestling! Strawberry or orange flavour. Also, when dispersing tablets we found hot water helps. We're heading for 2 years on it now and have never had a syringe or bottle without purple blobs!

Good luck! If you end up on it long term and on larger volume doses it's also worth getting 10 ml syringes, my practice nurse will give them to me when asked nicely :)