Heartburn Symptoms among Infants and Children

Heartburn is a daily nuisance to the 10 percent of the American adult population. It usually sets in after eating large or spicy meal. But children and even infants also experience heartburn symptoms.

At least two percent of children ages 3 to 9, and five percent of children ages 10 to 17 experience that same burning sensation in the chest caused by heartburn.

Heartburn among young children is usually an indication of the existence of the condition known as gastroesophageal reflux, or what we commonly know as acid reflux or GERD.

GERD is a condition where the gastric acid seeps out of the stomach and back up into the esophagus. The esophagus is that tube that connects the stomach to the mouth. At the bottom of the esophagus is a muscle known as the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES. This muscle functions as a lid that prevents the gastric acid from seeping out of the stomach.

But if the LES either opens too often or does not close tight enough, the stomach acid goes back up into the esophagus. The acid, which does not normally exist outside the stomach, irritates the delicate lining of the esophagus. That irritation manifests as the burning sensation felt during an episode of heartburn.

Unlike in adults, heartburn or even GERD is a common condition in infants. In fact, 50 percent of all babies less than three months old experience heartburn symptoms. Spitting up during feeding is usually a sign of heartburn or GERD.

Heartburn in young children is usually caused by an immature digestive tract. In children ages 10 to 17, heartburn or GERD is generally a result of a number of factors. For some, exposure to secondhand smoke, being overweight, and even eating heartburn food may put older children at risk of heartburn or GERD. Children with neurological condition are also at risk.

It is difficult to diagnose heartburn or GERD in children. The reason is children have difficulty expressing what they feel, or specifically what their symptoms are. For one, most children complain about a stomachache that occurs higher in their belly. Such symptom is different from the chest pain that is usually the symptom of heartburn among adults.

If your child displays certain heartburn symptoms, it is best that you visit a paediatrician immediately. While in most cases your child’s paediatrician can easily diagnose your child’s condition, you may be asked to seek the help a specialist called a gastroenterologist.

A gastroenterologist may better serve you and your child’s needs as he specializes in treating the diseases of the digestive system. He will examine your child and will further ask about your child’s symptoms.

If needed, he may ask your child to undergo certain methods specific to assessing symptoms of GERD or heartburn. These methods include upper gastrointestinal series, endoscopy, esophageal pH probe, and gastric emptying study.

If your child has been diagnosed either with heartburn or GERD, the treatment will vary on his needs. But there are two factors that will primary determine his treatment. One, your child’s age. Two, the cause of his heartburn.

While heartburn among children usually improves on its own, some heartburn drugs doctors may prescribe include H2 blockers (Pepcid and Zantac) and proton-pump inhibitors (Prevacid and Prilosec). These medications work to reduce gastric acid produced.