Silent Reflux

After reading some older threads and another mom in another thread suggested that my bub might have silent reflux, I just want to find out more. He is 18 weeks, formula fed, has difficulties feeding well during the day (night time oddly ok). i have tried changing teats to improve milk flow but that has only improved the situation slightly. we can sometimes take up to 1 hour just for him to drink 120ml and often the feeding ends in tears for him (and sometimes me too). I really try not to force feed but I know he is hungry so I stop when he cries and try again in a few minutes and burp often.


I came across the following website which lists symptoms of bubs with silent reflux and what can be done to help them (before resorting to medication):

http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/silent_reflux.php

http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/help_infant_reflux.php


Will appreciate any parents whose kids went through the same situation and which non-medicated solutions helped to resolved this feeding problem.


For those wondering why not go to the doc asap, the reason is that he is having good weight gain and after advice from the doc to introduce semi-solids and from the well-baby clinic to waiot and see, I want to see if the situation can be improved in the next few weeks before I seek further help.


Thanks!

Hi Wheelymate,


Me again on this subject.

Re weight gain - my little was never too light - he was just under 50% at 6months so doctor wasn't too worried on that issue.

Silent reflux is something the baby should grow out of but there is no set time limit.

People have suggest cranial osteopathy etc as that seems to work for a number of ailments, but my issue was that i couldn't bear to see my son crying and screaming when he so much looked at a bottle! also it was phsychologically damaging to me as i would get so traumatised at feeding time and dread it constantly.

Much as I don't like giving a baby drugs at such a young age, I must admit it was the right thing to do as he now enjoys his milk and drinks his 5 ozs in less than 5 mins!

Good luck!

squiggles,


how old is your little one again?

he'll be 8 months on the 24th

Hi Wheelymate,


Firstly my heart goes out to you. It is very stressful to try feed a baby who appears to be in pain or not wanting milk when they are obviously hungry.



My baby who is now 13 months has silent reflux. It peaked at 4 months (he would be described as "colicky" before that)where he would arch back (classic reflux sign) and cry off the bottle (it was hard at times to get 50mls into him), constantly hiccup, have very restless sleep and a lot of wind.


We used to feed him in an upright position, changed his formula to soy (many reflux babies have dairy intolerence or allergies), raised his cot and spent hours trying to get milk into him (by using toys or talking books to distract him). He drunk better at night (reflux babies do as they are sleepy and more relaxed when half asleep). It was crucical to take the time to wind him.


After trying for months to get a diagnosis and help at various paediatricians and a paed gastro, I left Hong Kong and got help abroad. Sadly I HAD to resort to medication. In Australia and NZ they give Losec - which takes three weeks to work and reduces the acid that causes the pain. Zantac (which can also be prescribed never worked for us, tasted disgusting and was a waste of time).



I really hope that your diagnosis isn't reflux - but I strongly advise you fight for your baby and don't take NO for an answer. Many paediatricians in Hong Kong seemed to dismiss reflux mainly because I think they didn't know a lot about it. When I went abroad it was much much easier once I found the right help. Good luck and let us know how you get on.

hi scarlettot,


many thanks for your post!


yes, it is frustrating to feed a baby who is hungry but doesn't want to drink his milk and screams as the bottle comes near him. i am not sure if it's just my imagination (as not very familiar with a 4 month old's milestones) but i swear he sometimes raises his hand to push the bottle away as it comes close.


what upsets me most is that besides my husband, i have gotten ZERO support from my family (including my mom who is a nurse) about my bub's condition. they are very quick to write off my concerns about potential silent reflux and say it's just a behaviour thing, that he is just naughty. say things like why you have so many complaints, isn't it good enough for you that he is sleeping well at night, etc.


but i feed him 5 times a day so i know it is not a behaviour thing - he screams/cries during feeds, he does the arching, he burps alot even for very small feeds and he feeds well at night because he is half asleep. in the day, i have to walk around the house while feeding him to distract him so that he will drink his milk. sometimes i get so upset i want to scream! you know, when we go out and i have to feed him, he sometimes drinks 60ml in 40 mins??


but i know it's not his fault. i also know there is a possibility that maybe he is just a poor eater and will grow out of it but what if he is in pain but he can't express it and since everyone tells me it's no big deal, his pain is ignored? i hate to think my son is suffering at every milk feed and i can't help him.


that said, i do hope he will grow out of this silent reflux (if that's really the case). i am giving myself one more month to assess the situation. if things don't improve, i am definitely going back to the doc and ask if silent reflux is a possible cause of my baby's feeding problems AND GET HER TO FIX IT!!!

Dear Wheelymate,


I think one of the hardest things that I faced with my son was a lack of support. Not from my husband (although admittedly it put us under a lot of stress) but from the medical profession (some of who said it was "behavioural" - abslolute nonsense...or "colic"), and friends who would try give advice - but unless someone has experienced reflux/ or a baby not wanting to eat they quite frankly just have no understanding. Let's face it, I didn't before it happened to me.


It's an extremely stressful thing and you are a wonderful mother to do what you are doing. Keep an eye on his weight - make sure that he is following that curve/graph thingy the paed's have. My baby eventually starting losing weight (although some reflux babies don't).


You are right to follow your instincts - Mothers know best and if you find someone who doesn't seem to be able to help you, try someone else. It's amazing the different opinions I got.


Hang in there - you are doing brilliantly - I would never ever want anyone to go through what I have without support (even if it's on-line).

thanks scarlettot...


today's another new day...every morning i wake up and tell myself, BE PATIENT...he will finish his milk.


:)

Hi Wheelymate,

Sorry to hear about what is happening. I have just birthed my fourth baby and she has silent and gross reflux (my first had it as well and I have written lots about that on previous posts).

I just wanted to ask you a couple of questions - does your baby cough and gag between feeds? Does your baby settle and then wake catching his breath? Does your baby take a while to catch his breath and when he is crying can you see milk pooling in the back of his throuat?

I just ask because you have not mentioned how your baby acts between the feeds (or maybe my two week post natal eyes could not see if you have!).

Any way I am sure that you have checked the babies mouth for signs of thrush and sometimes the baby does have a suck issue that can cause this trouble during feeds.

As Scalettot suggests, go with your mothering feel and do not stop till you seek an answer.

Hi midwife,


congrats to your recent birth but sorry to hear about your baby's feeding problems.


he doesn't cough between feeds BUT he coughs during the feeds...the milk flow is not very fast so i don't understand why. but no to the other 2 questions - he actually sleeps well at night and even though he catnaps in the day, he doesn't awake suddenly to catch his breath. as for your 3rd question, i have yet to notice but i will observe. are all these further symptoms of relfux?


thrush : i am embarassed to say that i don't actually know what thrush looks like....i checked his mouth before it looks pretty ok to me...


today's feeding wasn't too bad...he did fight me quite abit during the afternoon but i took my time with the bottle, stopping everytime he started to struggle, burped lots and he did finish it eventually. but having said that, i do need a back massage as i carry him alot during feeds to cajole him into drinking!

Like Scalettot, I didn't have much support or help either as again, silent reflux is not something many doctors or even your relatives know much about. When I had one doctor putting it down as a 'behavioural' issue, i was besides myself. She thought it was his behaviour because as mentioned, he was fine feeding the the middle of the night but screamed and fussed during the day. Needless to say, I sought out another opinion and have not gone back to that doctor!