to be sick of the expression "reflux baby"?

[jujumaman]

I know, I know some babies have serious reflux and if they do it must be a complete nightmare. If your baby has had diagnosed reflux you've all my sympathy

BUT these days everywhere I go I meet mums who say their babies are "reflux babies". I didn't think the condition was so common it affected something like 95 per cent of the baby population. I've met some angelic babies who occasionally squawk and their mother says "that's because she has reflux." What I think most mums mean is my baby is a screamy nightmare who won't settle and often pukes back a bit of feed. IE what most babies are. I don't think it means they have an actual medical condition but people seem to feel the need to find a label.

Fully expect a host of "how dare you, my baby had reflux etc etc" responses. As I say, I acknowledge some babies really do have reflux and it must be very hard. I'm just sceptical that it's as common as is now made out. And if my babies had had reflux (they didn't, they were just noisy and demanding) it would have annoyed me to have others jump on the bandwagon.

I recently found out that DLA is payable to children with Reflux

I haven't read all the replies, but I'll agree, it does annoy me sometimes (maybe annoy is the wrong word thugh), because my ds1 had reflux bad he was sick all the time, he cried all the time, he was so uncomfortable all the time and he smelt of acid all the time. It was really awful and it lasted for over 4 months. We saw a paed who put him on a different formula to help, which thank God it did, ds didn't seem to be in as much pain but was still sick right through till weaning and quite a while after, so it irritates me when I hear everyone say they have a reflux baby but their stories aren't anywhere near as horrific as mine and I often think 'if only you knew....' but maybe what I'm feeling is jealousy and resentment over other people people thinking they've got it tough, when really they are quite lucky when you think how bad it could be.
And yes, I know IABU

Absolutely Hoochie. I said in my previous post that the DF hadn't worked but she's jad some lactose in lactulose for the constipation for 2 days after I've been DF for 3 weeks and she's vomited loads today. The paed we saw mentioned DF but said he didn't think it would work for my DD

never heard of reflus till I read it on mumsnet

to talk about the op
I know what you mean
it is like when someone sneezes and they say they have flu

tis bollocks
and very annoying

I really feel for those of you who have had a baby with reflux but there are some people who will have a baby that might posset once in a while and they say the baby has reflux grrrrr

same as the flu thing

get some perspective

Thanks Hoochie, they look really useful.

I have been trying to be really strict and have been using this list but it's all new to me, the only thing I think I've slipped up on is I ate scampi out twice thinking it would be OK, I've subsequently discovered it may not be. I've been getting advice from another MNetter who is also DF due to reflux and who encouraged me to try it despite the medical advice. I was reluctant at first as I thought it would be difficult as I am veggie (I eat fish though) but it's been really easy - I can't believe what a range of DF items there is out there! I can honestly say I've not missed dairy.

am with trinity and the op

babies do cry

16 years ago i had never heard of reflux

my baby possetted a LOT though

everyone I know has silent reflux now

i DO know one baby who had proper reflux - ended up in hospital as the reflux was linked to something very deep and medical and i cannot remember now BUT it was serious

on the whole babies cry and some a LOT

crying babies do not need medicine!

It's very easy to judge something when you have never been there. Yes all babies cry, but being unconsoulable (sp?) is not normal. Neither is constant choking, extreme sickness, irritability all the time. Out of my 5, all were sick, some very, but only DS has been 'ill' with it. He has been in hospital 3 times as an emergency. Silent reflux is terrible and can scar the oesophogus (sp? again!)I don't think they would give him meds (one is £100 a bottle) if he didn't need it!

but jellybeans
we are not sying that reflux doesn't exist
i am saying that people whose babies do not have reflux, probably dont even know what ReAL reflux is like
saying their babies have reflux

that should annoy you (who have babies with REAL relux) more than me

agree jb

and agree trinity

that makes a change!

Yes but TBH I'd rather have those people going on about reflux so it raises the awareness of it - I had never heard of reflux and if it hadn't been for my mum saying, "She vomits a lot, mention it to your HV", I could have continued regardless until her oesophagus was damaged.

Wow, am shocked to csee this thread still going! Cant remember if i said but my ds2 is going in hosp next week because of his silence reflux but appears to be a symptom of something else and meds havent helped him so hes having cameras up and down himand they are taking biopsys.

Oldraver what is DLA???

notanotter
we dont normally disagree do we??

I'm not argumentative am I?

trinity !! no we dont!! i was surprised that i agreed with two posters at once !

Mad4 DLA
HTH x

phew ok I get it now

oldraver, i dont see how reflux counts as a disability? im guessing you have to be on a low income?

oldraver, that post wasnt meant to sound rude btw

DLA is sometimes payable if a dependent has a medical condition that makes such an impact on your life that regular life cannot go on without some help - eg. because you are continually caring for a child 24/7 (beyond what is obviously 'normal' for small babies) or you incur extra expense for special alterations to be made to your house etc.

I'm not sure if it is income dependent.

I looked into it regarding my ds who suffers from eczema.

fwiw (not a lot, and completely off topic!) reflux has parallels with eczema in that over-diagnoses somehow trivialises it for severe sufferers although they do raise awareness. My ds has had very severe eczema since birth and I often get people saying, oh their dc has eczema, and assuming it's the same and I'm making a big deal of it. I'm not. Severe eczema is not a red sore bit behind your knees. Just like severe reflux is not the same as a baby who sicks a bit and gets a sore tummy from time to time after feeding. If 90% of babies are diagnosed with reflux then it is meaningless for the few whose children have severe refulx, because they are not dealing with the same issues at all.

will shut up now and go away.

It's not income dependent.

hi,

not sure how true this is but anyway...

i was told the reason for the increase in reflux is due to babies not having all the crap sucked out of their throats when they are born anymore. hence their systems are full of crap they need to get rid of themselves.

i had never heard of it until about 3 yrs ago, now the last 5 babies in my immediate family to be born all 'have it'. but certainly to different degrees.

Mad 4.....Mum 23 gave a good explanation

I think the fact that DLA can be paid explains the difference between those who are genuinley suffering from it to a serious degree and not just "ooh he's a bit refluxy" as in the original op ??

I didnt know about this till a few months ago and I think the starting point for DLA is... where a child has needs above and beyond the everyday needs of an average child. I have to say I was still surprised myself

but was in above the means of average child? My ds has been diagnosed with severe reflux..