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This doesn't seem like classic reflux

5 replies

LoveMonkeyII · 27/09/2007 18:07

I have been reading alot of threads about Reflux and Silent Reflux but I'm not sure of DS1 really has this as alot of his symptoms seem deifferent from what others have experienced.

DS1 had a lovely home birth and for the first 3 months everything ws great, he was a really happy smiley baby and we were delighted when at 6 weeks he started sleeping through the night. However things have gone rapidly down hill.

One Monday he had a massive screeming fit and I couldn't calm him; the same happened the next day; by Thursday I was so worried I took him to the GP. She was great and although she couldn't put her finger on what was wrong, she prescribed Infant Gaviscon to see if it would help. I read up on it and it seemed to be for preventing babies being sick and DS really didn't suffer from this, so I didn't give it to him. He has been sick sometimes but that seemed to be while I was feeding him whilst lying in bed. We both tended to drift off to sleep, but he'd stay latched on so I'm sure he was taking too much milk; I have now stopped doing this.

He now spends long periods of time being uncontrollably miserable (although he can still be really happy and playful too). When he's being miserbale, he arches his back loads, flips around and tries to latch on to any piece of exposed skin. When he is in this state he hates being on his back and screems if I put him in his cot or on his changing mat. Sleeping has got much worse and I only seem to be able to settle him by feeding him. Sometimes he is up every 2 hours at night, which is much worse than when he was first born. He won't sleep during the day either as everytime I try to lie him down after he falls asleep on my shoulder, he wakes as soon as his head touches the matress and won't settle if left.

He does tend to have a big burp after crying for sometime, so I thought it was simple colic, but that doesn't always settle him and I wonder if the crying causes the burps.

He is breast fed with the occasional bottle of expressed milk, he has never had formula. The only thing that seems to settle him is feeding, although I'm sure he can't just be hungry. He has a soother, which he normaly loves but can continually reject it when he's upset; I carry him in a sling alot, which he also loves, but I'm trying to encourage him to sleep in his cot. He is now 5 months and can roll around, so now sleeps on his front, which seems to help, but when he wakes, he'll roll all around his cot untill I comfort him. He generally only settles on my shoulder and has never liked being cradled, he has also been known to sleep really well on my chest, but I can't do that every night. Oddly enough he seems to settle when distracted; singing, TV and even running a tap all stop him crying for a few moments, so is he just being fussy unless he's entertained? We're on the verge of giving him solid food, so I'm hoping that might help.

I'm really not sure if this is reflux or not as unlike other babies, he didn't have it from birth and isn't sick much, so any advice would be gratefully received.

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
LIZS · 27/09/2007 18:15

dd's reflux , which was mainly "silent" ie not puking all the itme but more like acid indigestion with regurgitated milk coming back up the gullet, gt worse at 4/5 mitnhs when she became more mobile. It wonlt suddenly come on ta this poutn but what might ahve been mild could worsen with mvoement. Gaviscon might help this even if he isn't being sick . You could get a prescribed thickener for feeds of ebm to "weight" it down. Otherwise you have to ride it out and it might improve as he is weaned onto solids, sits upright or walks.

bookthief · 27/09/2007 18:25

In adults doesn't Gaviscon coat the stomach/gullet to prevent burning from excess acid? Plus it has a neutralising affect on stomach acid. If your ds has "silent" reflux he will be in pain due to excess acid but not vomitting. The Gaviscon may help with this acid.

Worth giving the Gaviscon a try I would reckon? Even just to rule the reflux out?

Fizzylemonade · 28/09/2007 18:08

It does sound like reflux, - I had 2 reflux babies one who sicked up loads but never cried and the 2nd was a dream till he was about 10weeks old, you wouldn't have known I had a baby he was so easy. Then he started writhing when feeding, only taking small amounts (it was easier for me to see that as he was on formula by then) didn't like being laid down, liked sleeping on me -being upright.

Was prescribed gaviscon which didn't really help then he went to paediatrician who prescribed a prescription formula when he was 17 weeks. He was only drinking a 3oz bottle about 10 times a day!!!!

As soon as you lie them down they can reflux, solids can help (not mine I'm afraid) it is just thicker food in the stomach so it can stop the milk coming up so easily.

Both my boys slept on their fronts, never their backs no matter how much I tried. We had cot props to elevate one end of the cot.

Try the gaviscon and see if it makes any difference.

Elfsmummy · 28/09/2007 18:32

It could be reflux I'm afraid. My DD (now 17 months) wasn't diagnosed until 5 months when she started to refuse to feed. She was fully breast fed but would mess around, pulling off and arching her back constantly throughout her feed. Eventually she just refused outright!

I had just assumed it was normal as she got older and was more aware of her surroundings! it wasn't until she refused to feed that I thought something could be wrong!

DD was never sick but couldn't be left on her back for any lengh of time. Hated her pram, her night time sleep deteriated etc etc etc.

Other signs to look out for are:
1.failure to follow the centiles on growth charts, DD dropped to below the 9th.
2. The mouth filling up with milk when they are on their backs. DD's used to fill up when I put her on the change mat and she just used to swallow it down again.
3. A preference to feeding in a more upright position, once she stopped feeding and I realised that something was wrong, I did a bit of research on the internet before I got the chance to see the GP. I started to feed her in a sling so she was completely vertical or I would sit her on the sofa next to me but facing me and prop her up with pillows. It was tricky but once mastered just as easy.

She was started on Gaviscon which did help a little, (I syringed it down initially, then started making it in bottles) and 4 weeks later saw the paeds at the local hospital and started on Ranitidine which was marvellous. She eventually came off her meds at 14 months by which time she was on the 50th centile!

I hope this helps.

LoveMonkeyII · 29/09/2007 12:58

Thanks all - DS has been on Gaviscon for just a day now and he seems quite happy (don't want to talk too soon!) We have also propped up his cot and yesterday I decided not to lie him down for the whole day, so he slept in his sling and played in his door bouncer; no playmat or rolling around on the floor for a whole day! He had one episode of being miserable, but was tired at the time so I'm not surprised. When he cried he sounded so hoarse, like he'd lost his voice, it was so sad .
He still woke in the night although he didn't seem half as distressed and after I fed him I kept him propped up for 15-20mins before putting him back in his cot and he seemed to settle back really well.
Elfsmummy - Interesting what you said about the centiles, DS was only small when he was born but shot up to the 50 centile really quickly, but then lost weight and has gradually fallen down the centiles and is now stuck below the 9th.
We'll see how we go on solid food (starting today, yipee!) and just keep trying all the other things too.

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