Should I Give Prevacid or Zantac to My 5 Mos. Old Baby with Reflux?

My youngest was diagnosed with reflux at about 3 months and we gave her Zantac (without the alcohol) - you may need to special order at a place where they make it without the alcohol. It worked wonders! After being on it for 5 months or so, she was fine! No more reflux! She is now 19 months old.

Good luck to you!

Hi O.
Why don't you try changing her formula instead of giving her medicines? I think many pediatricians are quick to just medicate. Reflux was never a problem in babies when my 2 were born and if there were tummy issues, the suggestion was to change formulas, not give medications. Try the soy or lactose free formulas and you may find an easier answer than which medicine to give? Good luck.

My Grandson had the same problems. His Pedia put him on goats milk, and he hasn't had a problem since. He was lactose intolerant, with AR.

My daughter was diagnosed with reflux when she was a couple months old. I tried Zantac, but it didn't really seem to make much of a difference. I ended up taking her to a chiropractor who specialized in babies and children. I noticed a huge difference in her reflux within about 3 visits. We brought her to the chiropractor about 10 times in total. I felt much better about bringing her to the chiropractor than I did giving her medicine.

If you are breastfeeding, you may want to try cutting common allergens out from your diet (milk, eggs, peanut butter). It takes a couple of weeks for them to get out of your system, so be patient.

Good luck, I hope you find something that works for your baby!

You should never give adult medication to a baby or child, esp sicne their systems are not fully developed, for it can cause a host of defects in their devoplment down the line and may even affect the future offspring... for many chmicals given to children ahev been knwon to casue future defects in the unborn.

My baby had reflux and it went away about the 6 month mark. Our pediatrician prescribed Axid. I recommend it. It didn't seem to have any side effects, and worked very effectively.

My daughter had reflux after she was born. She was on Zantac first, but it tasted really bad and I was breast feeding so, I couldn't put it in a bottle (as some of my friends had done) she wouldn't even take a bottle till she was 3 months old. Anyway, I gave her Pepcid 2x a day. Also, I gave her Mylanta before and after her meals and kept her upright after she ate. This helped a lot. She was on Pepcid till she was about 10 months. This was prescribed by a pediatric GI.

Both my children were on Zantac and did great, no side effects noted. Good Luck!

Prevacid has very specific rules about giving it, in terms of before/after feedings. I would also either switch her formula to a hypoallergenc one or cut out all dairy (you really have to read leabels as it ca be hidden) if you're breastfeeding.

Try asking for Prilosec. That seemed to work better for my son. I wasn't happy with the Prevacid. I hope this helps and good luck. Also, not sure where you live, but look into a GI specialist over the pedi. You'll get better results and you should also look into a specialty hospital, like a Childrens hospital. We use CHOP (Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia).

You need to be VERY careful with these medicines - not one of them is actually approved to treat infants, which means no long term studies have been done as to what the effects might be on his or her development, both digestive and other. These medicines act by suppressing the production of stomach acid, actually making it MORE DIFFICULT for your baby to digest anything. This will account for the increased gas, pain, and constipation. Reflux is overdiagnosed in infants, much more likely is a sensitivity to an ingredient in your formula or to a food your are eating if you are breastfeeding. Try changing formulas (there is an excellent formula recipe at www.mercola.com designed for babies with sensitivities) or cutting out dairy, wheat, grains that are not sprouted, or gas-producing foods like broccoli. Blessings!

when my son was 6 weeks old he was on zantac and i weened him off when i thought everything was under control. at 16 months he's back on previcid. see if you can give her the meds on an empty stomach and try and prop her mattress up a little. for the constipation, ask your peditrician if you can try a little watered down prune juice. you can also try and keeping her upright after her last bottle for awhile before putting her down for the nite. hope this helps.
megan

Our 10 week old baby also has acid reflux. Have you tried giving a bottle at night? I also discovered that I was doing a lot of overfeeding and occasionally I have to pull my son off the breast since he will just gustle and gustle.

We have not tried medication since we are trying to improve thingns on our own. I heard this improves over time..I hope this is true.

Good luck!

My four month old daughter has been on Zantac for a few weeks now. It has made a world of difference. The dosage seems much smaller than what your child is taking. Phoebe is 15+ pounds and she can take .9ml 3X day. She also has half a teaspoon of Maalox in her bottles (4X day). I think the Maalox definitely increases her BMs. Maybe that will help?

Are you sure the crying all night is just gas? Reflux can cause sever discomfort when laying flat. Is your child propped up at all? I would try this and see if it helps at all. They do sell inserts for the crib that put an incline to the matress.

Also, if gas is the problem I highly recommend Little Tummies. All my kids lived on it, and it always helped.

GOOD LUCK!

My daughter was also prescribed Xantax by her pediatrician, but I did not find it helpful. She was in constant pain, never slept and cried all the time. I requested to see a gastroenterologist and went to see one at Childrens Hospital in Phili. He prescribed her Prilosec, which really made a lot of difference. It took a few weeks to build up in her system and we had to up her dose from time to time as she grew. However, she finally seemed comfortable and happy! We weaned her off of it when she was 10 months and we have had no problems since then.

When my first daughter was a baby her tummy seemed to be upset alot. She would spit up, throw up, have constipation and cry alot. We ended up having her sleep in her car seat in the bedroom so that she was in a more sit up position. We also changed her formula until we found one that was gentler on her stomach. We finally tried Carnation Good Start and that worked well for her. However, you didn't mention if you are breast feeding. If you are, you might also really think about what you are eating that might be affecting her. For example spicy foods, caffeine, or even gassy foods like broccoli or beans. YOu might try keeping a journal of what you are eating and which days it seems to be worse for the baby. For us it took several months to find something that worked for our little girl and she did eventually outgrow it. Good luck!

My 3 month old son has been on zantac for 3 weeks now and is like a WHOLE new baby. He had very bad acid reflux and was up all hours of the night. Since being on the zantac (1.5 ml 2x a day) I'm getting 4-5 straight hours of sleep at night out of him before he waks up to feed. IT's amazing. He is so much happier after he eats. We also switched his formula to Nutramegin, which has helped tremendously with gas. I would highly recommd one, if not both of these as a solution. Also he had issues with constipation and my doctor told me to give him 1 1/2 - 2 oz of pear nectar when he is and that has also worked like a charm. Whenever I feel he's constipated or having problems having a bm, i give him a little and within a few hours, he's all smiles!! Obviously, check with your doctor, but the combination of all of the above have made our lives SOOOO much easier. Good luck!

While I love my pediatricians, they stupidly diagnosed my daughter with reflux when she was a few weeks old and she still had issues. They told me to give it time, and not to switch her to soy-based formula. I ignored them and did it anyway (after more weeks of her being miserable) and the instant I did, it was like I had a whole new child. She didn't have reflux, she's lactose intolerant. I'd try that before I tried any additional medications - it might not be reflux at all.

My 10 month old was diagnosed with the reflux after she started formula at about 1 month of age. We really wanted to avoid medicating her so we tried spacing out her feedings, less, more often as well as switching her formulas. Her doctor put her on Allimentum by Similac. It really did help. I was able to forgo any kind of medication at all which we were really hesitant to start. I also let her sleep in her upright Boppy swing as well as placed her mattress on an angle. Let her digest for 1/2 an hour after feedings and always fed her upright without bouncing or swaying to go to sleep.

I tried that route with my daughter. She was 2 1/2 months premature and breastfed. She was tested and has reflux. We ended up going the natural way with Hylands Homeopathic Colic Tablets (they disolve in liquid-water/milk/formula). This may not work for your baby, but it could be worth a try? They also have teething tablets which are wonderful as well.

Good luck!!!!
S. :-)

Tales of Reflux
My daughter also suffered from reflux. We did give her zantac which did seem to help. As they say she/he will grow out of it when the muscle that holds down food strengthens. The reason she is suffereing from it worse at night is because she is laying down(gravity), try sticking a pillow under her matress to elevate her head(they did this in the hospital)or on bad nights have her sleep in her carseat or stroller, this seemed to help tremendously. Another natural solution would be to change your own diet. I did find when I ate spicier foods her reflux was worse. (Beware) My daughters reflux was so severe at one point I took her to the ER for what I thought was a seizure, but was actually reflux(First Time Mom). The exact same thing also happened to a good friend of mine.

My other friend's son also suffered from reflux, she didn't like the idea of giving him the medication and now at one YO has developed into a more severe condition. She ended up going to a specialist who recommended zantac in the morning and acidphex at night or is it the other way around? apparently both have different benefits? I Hope this helps.

Best,
J.

I wouldn't. Most babies have reflux, because the valve in their esophicus isn't fully formed yet. My son had that too when he was a baby. Our Ped. just told us to just hold our baby upright for about an hour or so until the milk has digested. Our Ped. doesn't believe in over medication, especially if you can avoid it.

my twins were on zantac first, it did not work for them so we switched to prevacid which worked like a miracle..

STOP all medications and put her in the car seat!!!! It'll stop the reflux because she'll be sleeping at an angle. It works wonders! Trust me.

My son (7 months now) was diagnosed with silent reflux at 2 1/2 months. He would swallow the milk that would come back up so we didn't know what was bothering him. He's been on Zantac since then (now .9ml 3x day) and while it didn't work right away (it takes time for the damaged esophagus to heal), it did and now he is the happiest baby.

He was also very gassy and when I started formula we first tried soy and that didn't help with the reflux or gas. We then used Similac Sensitive R.S. which has rice starch and is thicker. That worked really well, but he became constipated! I then switched to Similac Sensitive regular, and he has no gas pains that we can tell. It is lactose free and easier to digest than regular formula.

We are hoping to start weaning him off of the Zantac this month... I'm a little hesitant because he still spits up alot (now that it doesn't hurt he lets it fly!)

Good luck -- it is so frustrating to see them in pain! Maybe your Dr can also do a milk allergy test? We did one by testing his bms for blood and fortunately it was negative.

My daughter had acid reflux, and was prescribed Zantac at about 2 months. Using that, combined with putting a tablespoon of rice cereal in her formula (soy, as she had a cow's milk sensitivity early on) to help keep it from coming back up her esophagus worked like a charm. For gas, we would occasionally give her some liquid Mylanta (the doctor had suggested it). The transformation in our little Sweetie was amazing! And there were no side effects to speak of. By 8 months, I started weaning her off, and she's been absolutely fine since (she will be 3 in April). Also, if you are not doing so already, try propping her mattress up by putting a folded towel or blanket underneath. I personally would not recommend putting her in a car seat to sleep, unless you want to introduce a whole new set of problems (eventually having to break that habit, possible back problems, etc.). I remember that time of my daughter's life before we found a solution that worked being tough (on her AND her father and I) - hang in there, it WILL get better!

Hi O.

My youngest son started with Zantac (which was ok) then changed to prevacid. Both seemed to be equally effective. When we changed doctors (the first GI doctor relocated), the new physician had a preference for prevacid. We burbed him until he was about 16 months and now (approx. 21 months), when he gets uncomfortable, a few taps on his back and a good belch do the trick.

Best of luck. A.

Hi O.. I am a chiropractor and I see kids and adults with reflux all the time. Try a chiropractor before giving all of these meds! It is extremely gentle and you can hold her the entire time. It might give you all the results you are looking for w/o meds. Good luck.
S.

My baby also had major problems with gas, always burping... I never knew it was a problem .. until she was about 4 and was finally diagnosed with reflux. They prescribed prevacid for 4 years... She used it for one year.. and I took her off because I think medicine like that for long term use can't be good. We watch what she eats... like some fruits bother her, red sauce or salad dressing.. so she stays away from these things. How about your baby?? does she eat baby fruit.. stick with bananas and such..with less acid... try a different formula too.. and stay away from acidy fruit juices.. it seems to have a great effect on reflux.. my daughter is now 9... and her reflux is under control.. if she eats the wrong things.. she tells me she feels reflux... so she watches what she eats.....

O. G, When my daughter was approx. 4 months old, she was diagnosed with reflux. She was throwing up constantly and we were always changing clothes (ours and hers), plus the obvious discomfort she was experiencing was terrible. Her pediatrician first prescribed Zantac for her. This only helped minimally. He then prescribed Prevacid and after a week, I saw a noticeable difference. Everyone responds differently to medications, so perhaps Zantac will help your daughter. Talk to her pediatrician. All of the stomach issues are somewhat heartbreaking. You just want to fix it. My daughter had so many problems throughout the first few months. She's almost nine months now and so much better. I hope that your little one (and you) get some relief soon.

Hi...my son had the same thing, call the dr, they will prescribe something for the baby.

my daughter was on zantac and prevacid for reflux at 4 months because she was not eating and crying all the time. my thoughts are if it works and makes them happy then why not. the zantac worked quicker but it didn't last as long so she is now 12months and still on prevacid. she seems to eat more and sleep better on it. hoping she will come off of it soon.
also have you tried raising the mattress so she is on more of an incline? also - my daughter had to go on nutramigen for a bit of a milk sensitivity and that helped a ton too.

Hi O.,
my boy (today he turned 2 years old!!!) had horrible reflux and colic from week 3...we started Zantac, 2ml three times a day then and kept him on an incline in his bed, his changing table, his stroller; basically, whenever he was not in our arms he was lying down on an incline. We even bought a swing (which he didn't "love") to help keep him up and never let him be horizontal. Zantac worked quite all right, we had to give it to him until he was 6 months and then until 8 months on-and-off. He did start sleeping through the night at around 4 months, which was a blessing for us all, him included, because he cried all the time during the day. He was a Zantac baby; for gas and colic I used to give him homeopathic drops mixed in his milk and put a warm compress on his belly while making pressure as well as massage his belly by moving his legs down onto his abdomen whenever we changed diapers. Hope this helps. This will pass!!!! Good luck, Ana Luisa

A friend of mine went through the same thing with her son. The doctor put her son on Essence of Peppermint. Just a couple of drops in the bottle, it made a huge difference. Also there are 2 formulas that help cut down the reflux. My son was on Neutramagen with Mylocon drops added to cut down gas.
That and I would question why a pediatrician would prescribe a 5 month old baby such a harsh medicine when your daughter's system is not developed enough to process it. I hope at least one of my suggestions helps.

i gave zantac to my son when he was only 3 months old and it worked. At first i was worried but the pediatrician said it was safe and i didnt want my son to suffer. Try it for a while, you might need a few wks to figure out if its making a difference. Good luck!
R.

a friend of mine has a baby with reflux and found a huge difference at night by propping up the baby a bit so she was night lying totally flat, but sitting up a bit. It helped her sleep much better. Good luck!

Medication should never be given without your doctor's advice and I am glad that you asked for his/her help first about the reflux. Children, especially infant are not little adults and medication doseage is very carefully prescibed. I think you need to go to your baby's doctor and tell him/her of your baby's problem. Gas can be very uncomfortable for a baby,
try to massage your baby's abdomen from the lower right - up across the top - and down the left side. This is where gas is trapped and they can not walk it off like we can. Use some lotion that you rub in your hands and warm. Tummy time can also work. Babies should not sleep on their bellies unless you are going to be right there and watching. Tummy time may also be time that they spend awake and exercise their shoulders neck and upper back. Best of luck.

I have a 6.5-month-old who has just graduated from five months on zantac. It treated the reflux wonderfully for him, with no unpleasant side effects. (We used an infant-friendly liquid formulation that the pharmacy prepared.) I assume (I hope) your pediatrician also gave you the other common tips: use soy formula insead of milk based, cut down on dairy and beans if you're breastfeeding, feed the baby smaller meals more frequently, etc. I've heard as well that some infants are sensitive to the mother eating onions and garlic, but thank G-d, mine isn't.

I wish you all the best with this. B"H, the baby will be so much happier once she's comfortable.

Dear O.,
I can't say whether or not to give your baby prevacid or zantac as I am not a medical professional. I have however, written a medical paper on the topic and published an Allergy & Celiac Cookbook out of my 11+ years of experience with children with food allergies and gluten intolerance/Celiac disease. In my humble opinion, with rare exception the "reflux" diagnosed in infants and very young children is usually from food sensitivities. Are you nursing or using formula? I put my 2 month old son on zantac syrup years ago, and it didn't do anything because what I was eating as a nursing mother was the problem.

If you are using a formula, you can try changing that. If you are nursing, you can work on changing your diet. If I can help you further, please let me know.
Love,
L. Lundy
Public Speaker & Author, www.thesuperallergycookbook.com

I tried the meds and stopped. I changed to Carnation Good Start formula, put a tablespoon of rice cereal and that helped. Also, don't let her go to bed right after drinking a bottle. Make sure she is sitting up for like a 1/2 hour so her belly settles before laying down. Hope this helps.

I used Zantac for my son from 2 mos. to 1 year. We saw some improvement with no noticeable side effects.

My son was on Zantac as an infant for reflux. We didn't really notice that much of a difference, but certainly not the side effects you're mentioning with the prevacid. Of course, every baby is different. I know that I personally have acid reflux and only one Rx seems to work for me (Nexium)...the others either aren't effective, or give me stomachaches.

You didn't mention- is your daughter breastfed or bottlefed? If she's on formula, have you tried changing her formula? We found that Enfamil's AR was probably the most effective change that we made, more so than the Zantac. It wasn't a perfect solution, but it did help.

Good luck!

When my daugther was 2 months old, she was also diagnosed with reflux. The doctor prescribed zantac and it helped tremendously. He also suggested that I decrease the amount of milk she was drinking but to feed her then more often. That too helped. Her reflux got better and by the time she was 9 months, she was completely off zantac and eating well. No more sleepless nights!

Hi O., Been there! My now 5 year old daughter had horrid reflux since infancy... tried soy formula, only to find she was allergic to soy (fun trip to the ER) Zantac was prescribed after we tried adding cereal to her formula (all under the direction of her pediatrican). After about a year of zantac, with okay results, we finally went to a Pediatric GI specialist who helped us figure out that a lot of her reflux was connected to her constipation. Once we treated her constipation (under the supervision of her docs ...daily prune juice)... no more reflux...for the most part.

Keep talking with your pediatrican. Ours assured us that most kids outgrow reflux by one year. We found our Pediatric GI through Schneider Childrens' Hospital (office visits in Brooklyn).

Good Luck

My daughter also had sever acid reflux, Zantak did not work for us but previcid worked miracles within two days i had a whole new baby. After 7 mnths she no longer needed the previcid. so talk top your doctor and see if sshe will do a script change. Fare warning previcid comes in a tablet so you will have to disolv it .

Best of luck!

Hi O.,

My three month old daughter was diagnosed with reflux at seven weeks of age; I really feel for you and yours!

We tried Zantac with Mylanta and it yielded no results. Same with Axid. It was only the Prevacid that has helped her tremendously. You may also be contending with colic, as we have. Gassiness, fussinss and crying are par for that course ;-(.

I'd suggest speaking to your pediatrician. Levsin drops are helpful for the colic and I really did become quite a "believer" in the Prevacid (which is a proton pump inhibitor while Zantac is not). As for colic, it resolves in 60 percent of babies between 3 and 4 months of age and 90 percent by one year.

I wish we could have gone a route with less prescription medicines but I am grateful to have found one which still helps my daughter. A few other things that help? Sleeping in the swing (its position is far better for reflux than on her back), running water and/or running the hair dryer during crying proved great (white noise!) and, if you are using formula, try Alimentum or Neutramigen. Whether it's expressed breast milk or formula, if using a bottle, Dr. Brown's wide neck bottles are phenomenal for these symptoms!

I'm confident that you, too, will resolve this and I hope that these suggestions will prove helpful :-)

Best,
A.

I used Gaviscon for both children when they had reflux and it worked very well. Good luck!

My son was diagnosed with Reflux and was also given Previcid. We actually swear by it because when he hasn't had it, his Reflux acts up. I would suggest you speak with your pediatrician and see if maybe you can switch the formula your baby is on. Mine initially suggested that we try two other Similac formulas and they did not work out due to the gas issue. He is now on Enfamil and doing great.
I wish you the best of luck.

I am the Mom of a 38y/o daughter who had reflux way back then and her pediatrician said that she would out grow it at ten mos and it was that to the day. I would wait it out as she developed well and has not had problems since that time.

Good luck,
Mom from Vermont

Oh, I feel for you. My little one (now 21 months) was diagnosed w/acid reflex in the hospital 2 days after he was born. Our pediatrician prescribed Zantac when he was 2 weeks old and we saw little/no change in his symptoms. At 6 weeks a GI doctor put him on Pepcid (additionally he had me switch from just breast milk to a bottle w/1/2 breast milk, 1/2 formula and 2 T of rice cereal) and it changed our lives. Sorry I can't speak to Prevacid b/c we never tried it.

Hi O.,

I have used baby prescription prilasec and zantac for my infants. It has been safe with my children. They both had very bad acid reflux. They suffered quit a bit. The good news is that they didn't need it for very long. As they grow they are able to keep the food down. I know that it must be terrible for them because my babies cried all the time and didn't sleep well. The medications do help alot. Ask your doctor which is best for your baby. By about 10-12 months they get better.

My daughter had a similar situation that started when she was 2months old. She was given Zantac, Prevacid, mylacon, Karo syrup, just to name a few. They origianally thought it was reflux or along those lines. She used to clench her fists and feet, she was in such distress screaming at the top of her lungs ALL DAY LONG! then she would sleep thru the night. Well it took months of going to a Gastro Doctor before they realized her sphincta(not the correct spelling) had to mature. Which basically meant until this would mature she could not go to the bathroom(BM) on her own. I used tons of kiddie suppositories just to help ease her pain. It hurt me more than her. The point of me telling you this is for the first few months they were convinced it was reflux and had her on all these meds, when in actuality that was not the case. Once they figured this out they told me to wait until her sphincta matures(between 8 and 9 months old, usually) and low and behold when she was 9 months old to the day, my daughter never struggled again and she is now a BEAUTIFUL HEALTHY 4 1/2 YEAR OLD GIRL.

This may not be your case but just in case I figured I would let you know what took my doctors 2 months to figure out.

Hi - My 11 month old was diagnosed with acid reflux around 3 months. He was breast fed from birth so we tried a few different formula's until we settled on Alimentum. It is expensive but we were able to get our insurance to cover it, it was considered a medical need due to food allergies. The doctor just wrote us prescription. My son is also taking prescription pepcid 2x a day. The combination of the formula and Pepcid has worked wonders.

I have to agree with what several other moms said about stopping the meds all together. Our twins our my example. Both had reflux.
One was and is on reflux meds because it is the only way to keep him alive. We did not have choices with him. We have had allegric reactions to prevacid and he needs to have blood work to check to make sure his liver is functioning correctly. He was born with birth defects and had surgery to correct them but he may never have the chance to be off these meds.
The other had reflux too. As she grew the relux stopped just as another mom stated because of that little flap between the stomach and esphogus. We changed formulas. Add rice to her bottles. She sat in the car seat. (We did the same with her brother - I forgot to add in he was on a g-tube so everyone will know it was serious with him).
If you want your baby off the meds talk to your doctor. There are other ways just ask before doing some of them. What works for one may not always work for another. You are a great mom for looking in to this!!

Wow. I think it's insane how many infants are so easily given prescriptions at such a young age. First, are you breast feeding?? Bottle feeding?? If your breast feeding, I think most of the problem has to do with you and your diet. Many babies are born with allergies to certain foods such as gluten, corn, dairy, and the list goes on. Maybe you should try eliminating all high allergy foods from your diet for a couple weeks and see how that works. Secondly, it could be because you're eating spicy foods, caffiene, too many acidic fruits/veggies, garlic/onions, gassy foods such as broccoli, beans, or cabbage. It would also help if you took a high dose of good bacteria(probiotics) or there is a form you can get for infants at the natural food store. Now if you're bottle feeding you may need to switch to one without lactose or if you must, try a soy formula. There are also special bottles that help eliminate gas. Another rule of thumb, is to prop your baby up, instead of lying down, while they eat and make sure they stay up for at least 45 min after so they digest there food better. Most likely, if your breastfeeding, your child prob has a slight allergy to something you're eating. My son had reflux, and after trying differ things( no meds), I found he has a lactose problem. I personally don't feel a child that small should be on any meds, unless it's the last resort and all other options have been tried. Good luck!

Two of my sons had reflux when they were babies. My 7 yr old had it the worst. I never did allow the doctors to put him on medication. They wanted to prescribe reglan. I'm not sure if that is the active ingredient in either of the ones you mentioned. What I did was put my son on a soy based formula, and added lots and lots of Rice cereal to his bottles. It didn't help much. We just went through a lot of changes of clothes, and several burp rags a day. I actually used dish clothes for burp rags because they are bigger. My son never did end up with any kind of allergy, and doesn't have problems with reflux anymore. Sometimes he still gets sick if he eats too much of something tomato based. Another note, he was born 8 weeks premature, so his digestive system probably wasn't fully developed anyway. A doctor never told me that. It's just what I figured the problem was.

My 26 month old also outgrew his reflux. I wasn't able to switch him from formula to milk until he was 15 months. It would curdle and come right back up. Almost immediately. Now he will drink as much milk as we will give him, and has no problems with it.

I know it's disgusting and frustrating, but you might be able to get through it with no medication. As long as she's still gaining weight it's not a problem.

You should call your dr. Back and see if he can change to something else if you are not happy. Also ask about adding rice cereal to the bottle as well. Reflux can be very frustrating but you just have to hang in there:)you will find something that will work

I take Prilosec as an adult and it has helped me tremendously. Infant reflux is very common from what I have heard. The studies are inconclusive as to how long a child should use proton pump inhibitors like Prevacid, which I would use over Zantac for true reflux. When does your baby have the symptoms most? Does she vomit? Have they suggested the surgery? If it is a structural issue, I know of babies who have succcessfully had the surgery and are now very healthy children. Prevacid might add to her abdominal pain and gas, PPI's do that sometimes in some people. Could she have Colic? My son cried from around 5 to 10/11 every night with Colic. Warm baths help with the abdominal stress. But reflux is a very serious issue because the stomach acid can eat away at a child's esophagus. That is why I suggest the Prevacid, which actually turns off the pumps that bring the acid to the stomach. I think you need a second opinion of a pediatric gastroenterologist to find out the source of her reflux. Also, breast fed for bottle? Allergies to soy, corn, wheat and milk are very real and can cause the gas, etc. The reflux is usually a structural issue with babies I think. Good luck.

Hi O.,
I know how hard it is to feel that yor child is in pain. Please consider that your child may have actual physical issues going on which any medication, while it may relieve the symptoms, will simply mask. Have you taken your baby to a chiropractor or osteopath who works with infants and families? Have you made changes to your diet, if you are breastfeeding? Check out the referral pages at the www.icpa4kids.com and www.hpakids.com for holistically minded and specially trained practitioners near you. Warm hugs to you both,
A.

I refused to give my oldest any type of meds when he had reflux as a baby. His was even worse becuase the flap that separated the Stomach and the Esophagus would not close all the way. I'm not a doctor buy far, but if you are willing to try something proven on my own kid and others, stop the meds and give the baby a little bit of water 1-2oz or so and a 1/2 teaspoon of BAKING SODA before eating, or whenever you find the reflux the worse (especially before bed time). The taste is not the best, so I found giving it before feeding the easiest since he was hungry. The banking soda nutralizes the acids in the stomach and helps so much with the burning feelings associated with reflux. Not only does the Baking Soda help stop the reflux, but it also makes the instances when he did reflux less harmful, for the acids were not as harsh.

If you are willing to give it a try, just for a day, you could see a big improvement. This is also the tactic they use in adults who are unable to take reflux medicine. (as how I found out from my step-father to use this trick on my son.)

Homeopathy offers a safe, effective solution to infants especially this condition. I suggest that you find a certified classical homeopath in your area to consult with . One who willpartner with you during the growing years of your children to work with you on all of life's conditions. You can also read some easy books on homeopathy and start to understand your child's needs as well. Easy Homeopathy by Edward Shalts. MD is a good place to start. For a homeopath in your area go to www.nationalcenterforhomeopathy.org.
you may also contact me for more information.
Dr. N. Gahles President, National Center for Homeopathy, ____@____.com. I am located in NYC and Queens NY. Many Blessings!

Hi there!
My baby was Dx'ed w/ severe reflux and Zantac did NOT work. Once she was put on Prevacid (Compounded), she was perfect. SHe is now 5months old and does not need ANY meds!

N. in NJ

We put our daughter on prevacid at about 2 months old and it really worked. We tried several different types before we found one that worked for her. MANY of the others actually made her worse. We think that she was reacting to the sugars in the flavoring they added. It seemed like this irritated her reflux trmendously. You might want to look into that.The prevacid tabs are were worked best. We have to give her half a pill twice a day dissolved on a spoon. It has really worked. For a few months we also had to sit her up for 1/2 an hour after she ate and put her on an incline when she slept. She is now 7 months old and although we have seen a great deal of improvement she still can't play right after eating or lie on her tummy otherwise she gets sick. Hope this helps and good luck to your little one!!