New Dallas Study Links GERD to Autoimmunity

A new study coming out of UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas suggests that GERD is more the result of an autoimmune disorder than acidic digestive juices.  In studies performed on rats (who were surgically altered to trigger reflux), the damage to the esophagus did not occur immediately, as was expected once the bile and stomach acid began to enter the esophagus.  In addition, the damage did not begin with the outer layer of esophageal tissue which was exposed to the acid, as would have been expected.  Instead, the damage occurred weeks later and began in the deeper tissues (which were not directly exposed to the acid) then worked their way out to the upper layers that had been exposed.

How did this happen?  Researchers discovered the reflux caused the cells in the esophagus to begin releasing cytokines--chemicals associated with autoimmune disorders--which then drew inflammatory cells to the esophagus, creating the disease and the damage.

What does this mean to parents of GERD babies?

1-It reinforces the current theory that GERD is tied to genetics, which has been considered the most probable cause of GERD for the past 10 years.

2-It suggests the medical treatment of GERD would need to be changed.  Current medications are designed to neutralize or shut down the production of acid in the stomach.  (This, of course, can cause intestinal trouble for the patient since some acidic juices are necessary for the digestion of food.)  Autoimmune diseases are treated through other types of medications.  If the stomach acid is not the primary cause of esophageal damage, then perhaps medicine designed for autoimmune digestive disorders may have some benefit.

3-It reinforces the fact that GERD (as opposed to GER or periodic reflux) is a chronic condition and will need to be monitored and controlled over the course of the patient's lifetime.

4-It strengthens the theory that GERD, like other autoimmune disorders, may lie "dormant" in an individual until triggered by an illness, injury, food sensitivity or the environment.  This is particularly important to keep in mind regarding the recent literature that implicates synthetic DHA/ARA as a GERD trigger in infants and toddlers.

To read more about this study and the intended follow-up study on humans, visit http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/558821/?sc=mwhr;xy=5049990

Silent GERD is not Silent

Those of us who have children who suffer from "silent GERD" know the truth: there's nothing silent about it.  When your child continues crying for 8-10 hours in a row without reprieve despite all your best efforts, you know.  It's not silent!

You also know something is wrong.  No child should cry for that duration.  Even if your doctor tells you it's just a phase or your child's personality or your own lack of experience with infants, trust your instincts.  You have those instincts for a reason.

Diagnosing GERD and prescribing treatment through your pediatrician may take weeks or even months.  Part of this is simply due to the fact that the symptoms of GERD are so widely patterned and seemingly unrelated.  Sometimes the persistent crying is misdiagnosed as colic, which means it may be months of agony for your child until a correct diagnosis is reached.

A slow diagnosis may also be due to a pediatrician's conservative approach of "waiting and seeing" if the symptoms resolve in a few weeks due to the infant's immature digestive system. Hang in there, but don't just "wait and see."  Ask questions, schedule appointments, and if need be, find a new doctor.  You are your child's greatest advocate.

On the other hand, some pediatricians take such a proactive approach that they automatically prescribe strong medications, or they refer you to specialists who will have your infant x-rayed, scoped, and operated on before your baby is even a month old.  My personal belief is that when dealing with a baby you should try to make sure the cure isn't worse than the disease.  As much as possible, exhaust all least-invasive therapies first before rushing into the hospital or operating room.

When my first daughter was born, I had never heard of GERD.  I had read all the books and magazines and taken an eight-hour hospital class on newborns and child care, and heard not a word of GERD.  From birth she suffered from an inability to suck or swallow correctly as well as weight loss, dehydration, incessant crying, persistent congestion, periodic choking (even to the loss of breath), yet it wasn't until she was almost two months old before she was diagnosed.  At that point, the doctor informed me that I should have preferred a diagnosis of colic, for GERD was "ten times worse."

So here is a list of the many symptoms of GERD.  This list includes symptoms and behaviors seen in both infants and toddlers, but it is still not an exhaustive list.  If your child exhibits even two or three of these, it might be a good idea to consider GERD as a possibility and discuss it with your pediatrician or primary health care provider.  

As a GERD mama, I have personally seen every one of these symptoms (with the exception of gross motor delay) exhibited in either one or both of my daughters even though they were diagnosed with different forms of GERD.  The good news is we made it through--by the grace of God we are making it through--and so can you.

Physical Symptoms and Behaviors:

• Frequent choking, gagging, loss of breath
• Frequent vomiting or spitting up
• Taking only an ounce or two of milk or formula at a time
• Arching of the back (like a back-bend) while the rest of the body goes rigid
• Inability to latch or suck bottle well; inability to swallow well (dysphagia)
• Failure to gain weight; loss of weight
• Dehydration
• Continual crying for hours on end
• Recurring and sustained congestion
• Drainage from nose, ears, or eyes
• Acidic smell on breath even if vomit is not seen
• Frequent clearing of the throat
• Persistent croupy cough (barking sound) with or without stridor (wheezing)
• Hoarseness in voice when crying or babbling
• Shoving fingers in back of throat; making himself/herself gag
• Blood and/or mucus in stool
• Crying/distress when lying on back (diaper changes or naps)
• Excessive drooling
• Burn-like rash around mouth
• Chronic post-nasal drip
• Increased rate of ear, nose, and throat infections
• Lowered immune response
• Staining of teeth or erosion of enamel

Night-Time Symptoms:

• Wheezing
• Sleep apnea (periodic moments without breathing)
• Waking up coughing or gagging
• Night terrors/crying in sleep
• Refusing to sleep; fighting sleep
• Poor sleep patterns at night and during naptimes (not being able to sleep for a few hours at a time)
• Waking every hour or 90 minutes to be fed at night
• Increased congestion at night; noisy breathing
• Keeping self upright at night

Developmental Symptoms:

• Speech Delay
• Gross motor developmental delay
• Difficulty eating or swallowing solids
• Long-term and excessive struggles at mealtimes
• Emotional meltdowns not associated with intentional defiance
• Routine fatigue and inability to sleep through the night lasting up to 4 years of age

Colic-Ease Gripe Water: a GERD Mama Best Pick

Being new to the public world of mom-blogging, let me say I am a mom of action, who firmly believes the least invasive method of treatment is best.  Because my girls' symptoms were so severe, I tried almost everything to help them--including prescription medication--and learned that sometimes it's the simple things that make the most difference.  Therefore, I am devoting this blog post to one of my favorite products for soothing pediatric acid reflux: Colic-Ease Gripe Water.


Let me confess that I did not originally start the girls on Colic-Ease, but I wish I had.  When my first daughter was born, she could not suck or swallow properly and began to dehydrate and lose weight within days.  By the end of her second week, she had dropped from almost the 90th percentile in weight to the 50th percentile.  Because GERD was new to me and I was so busy keeping her alive both day and night, I didn't have time then to research all my options for treatment.  I purchased our doctor's prescription for Prevacid, and medically speaking, it saved her life.  The same thing happened with my second daughter, who was born only 15 months after my first.  It was only after both girls had been on Prevacid long-term that I began to see the negative side effects that were cause for concern.  (But more on that in another post.)


For now, let me share with you why I love Colic-Ease Gripe Water.


My children started taking Colic-Ease Gripe Water since they were 24 months and 9 months old, respectively.  That was when I first learned about it myself.  I began giving it to them in conjunction with a strictly controlled diet, and the difference has been like night and day in reducing and eliminating their GERD symptoms.  Even now that they are 2 and 3 years old, I keep a bottle on hand for those occasions when they eat a new food that might upset their stomachs, and it does the trick to settle their systems. 


But what is gripe water, you may ask?  "Gripe waters" are homeopathic remedies composed of natural ingredients that are typically used to treat colic.  Some recipes have been used for hundreds of years in Eastern, middle-Eastern, and European cultures.  They are over-the-counter, so you don't need a prescription, but they are often sold exclusively in natural health stores rather than regular pharmacies or grocery stores.  


What separates Colic-Ease Gripe Water from other gripe waters is what it does not contain: alcohol, sodium bicarbonate, charcoal, parabens, sucrose or sorbitol, or artificial sweeteners, flavors, or colors.  Most gripe waters I researched and saw in the stores contained these ingredients, the most common being sodium bicarbonate and charcoal, neither of which I wanted to pour into my girls' systems.


In addition, Colic-Ease Gripe Water contains a mixture of what I would consider "normal" essential oils--in other words, herbal oils I recognize or oils that would pass from a nursing mother into her breastmilk while eating an average diet--dill, cinnamon, caraway, clove, and cardamum.   Together, these oils work to combat gas, indigestion, vomiting, and diarrhea.  They also help to kill harmful microorganisms, viruses, bacteria and fungi.


You can administer Colic-Ease directly through an infant medicine dropper or you can mix a little with breastmilk or  formula (or juice for older babies/toddlers).  It is safe to use for newborns as well as older children.


Because it is not sold widely in health stores, you may have difficulty locating it near you.  You may always go to the official Colic-Ease website for more information as well as to find a store near you or to order online. http://www.colicease.com/

Welcome

I am the mother of two children with acid reflux disease, also known as GERD.  My first child exhibited what is medically termed "silent GERD" because she never spit up.  Instead she either swallowed her reflux or aspirated it, at which point she would choke violently.  My second daughter exhibited "traditional GERD," in which she spit up routinely and profusely and struggled to keep fluids down.  Whether silent or traditional, both types of GERD require special care and observation.  

Caring for a GERD infant or toddler can be physically exhausting and emotionally draining.  Although the incidence and diagnosis of pediatric GERD are on the rise, GERD babies are still in the minority and much research is still needed.  Finding a support system can be difficult; finding information and practical help can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Having "been there" twice as a parent, I know all too well the difficulties associated with caring for a GERD baby.  Periodically moms will refer others to me for comfort and advice when they find themselves faced with the same challenges.  

And so I am offering this blog--it's a work in progress--but I am trusting it may provide support, information, ideas and most of all, hope.