How to Treat Acid Reflux in Toddlers

Acid reflux is caused by a weak lower esophageal muscle that often lets the contents of the stomach leak into the esophagus, causing heartburn. When this happens to a toddler, it is difficult to deal with since they cannot express themselves well enough to tell you what is going on. Fortunately, if you know what to do, there are a few ways you can help your child feel better and prevent future acid reflux problems.

Instructions

1. Watch out for the symptoms of acid reflux in your toddler. These include sore throat, retching, weight loss, heartburn and difficulty swallowing. A few children with acid reflux even have difficulty breathing. If you notice that your child is hoarse, check for other symptoms as this could be caused from the acid reflux.

2. Visit your child's pediatrician as soon as you realize that your toddler may be suffering from acid reflux. Your doctor may decide to treat your child with prescription medication such as Zantac or Prilosec. However, if you are reluctant to treat your child with prescription medications, there are several home remedies that you can use to treat your toddler's acid reflux.

3. Offer smaller, more frequent meals. If there is less food in the stomach, the reflux is minimized as well. Eating more frequently encourages saliva production and saliva can help heal the damaged esophagus. Saliva is also known to neutralize stomach acid, which can be very helpful in treating acid reflux.

4. Put your child to bed on their left side. Sleeping on the left side positions your toddler so that gastric inlet is higher than the outlet, which helps gravity keep the food in the stomach. Your toddler will probably sleep more comfortably either on their stomach or on their left side, so be sure to encourage these sleeping positions.

5. Teach your child to chew their food thoroughly. Food chewed into smaller pieces will empty from the stomach quicker. Also, make sure that you don't feed your child right before bedtime. This helps the food digest properly before there is a risk of reflux caused by lying down.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure your child gets proper exercise. Obesity heightens the symptoms of acid reflux.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Toddler reflux discused on Web MD