My 4 week old little boy has Silent reflux - assistance pls.

[Neev]

We have had to go through some very difficult 2 weeks because we were first adviced that Aaron was not filling up with BF because he was constantly feeding off me and not resting or feeling full because he was having a feed every 20 mins for 30 mins each time. So we decided to use top up once a day incase my breast milk was not enough and MWs joked and said he is just a greedy baby. In the first weigh in he had lost weight which is ok because the first weigh in was at 7 days and he wasnt feeding too much but the second and third weigh ins he had put on weight as expected.

Then we were adviced to use infacol because he was so restless and trapped wind was supposed to be the cause, we were winding him all the time, his poo is normal and he is weeing enough..

then 2 nights ago we went to hospital because his crying was so continuos and painful. The paedetrecian registrar diagnosed him with Silent reflux. We did not want to just go along with this even though we should trust doctors but we came home and I researched all I could on the net - poor LO has all the symptoms of Silent reflux..

We have been given Ranitidine for him 3 times a day..my question is:

How soon does this work? Some say 4 days some say 2...
Does it really work because we now know he is in too much pain...
Will it help him sleep?
We are following the 30 degree tilt and holding him upright for 30 mins after each feed, walking around with him in a sling.
What else works - I know time and they will grow out of this in about 1 year but anything else in this one year that says - he will be fine?

So upset with all of this because he is really suffering and although not vomitting, it seems that the milk/acid travels all the way upto his mouth and he takes it back in...

Any advice would be so appreciated...

 

[Mildly]

Hi Neev

Sorry I don't have any advice as never come across this before but just wanted to send you a Taking him to hospital must have been really scary.

I've just looked up the symptoms and was wondering does Aaron have a cough/horse sounding throat? If so did he have this from birth?

Also I'm sure others will have more useful advice

 

[clarey]

Hi hun,

Sorry to hear your LO is suffering with the dreaded silent reflux, its so miserable for them and sounds like you are doing everything to help him. Cant help with the Ranitidine as we managed to control Evas with Infacol and Infant Gaviscon but we did find the Infacol helped bring the air up quickly which I really think helped especially at night when you want to be able to lay them down again so you can get to bed. Sometimes we could smell the acid on Evas breath when she was really bad, I can only imagine how painful it must be poor mites.
From what I understand all these medicines for reflux seem to work accumulatively so dont assume its not working if you dont see any benefits for several days

We found that warm baths seemed to sooth her and very gentle tummy massage in a clockwise direction helped with getting the bubbles out. Apparently air in their tums makes the acid worse as the body thinks there is more food to digest than there actually is, which is why the infacol helps but dont know if you can use this alongside the rantidine?
You have all my sympathy hun, its tough but wont last forever, Eva has occasional flare ups now and then but she has been much better from about 4 months onwards. Hope the meds help

 

[Neev]

Hello Mildly - - Yes he has had the hoarse voice but we thought that was from the crying..the cough has been there too for the last 3 weeks. He managed to catch a cold also so we thought the cough went with it but because the cough is still there, with all the other symptoms that is is actually reflux unfortunately. Everyone kept saying put him down, dont cuddle him each time he cries but I could lay him there for a second crying, followed my instinct and the doctor did say that the moment we lie them down more of the fluid travels through their oesophagus making them want to vomit/gurgle.

Clarey, Thanks so much hun. It is one of the most devastating things to experience because it is so easily mistaken for the child being fusst, I am just glad we got to see the paedetrician so early on...I have infacol but because we have just given him the first dose of ranitidine today, we will watch for the next week

If that does not show any signs of changes then I will call the paed back, she gave me her personal phone number which helps a lot...but dont want to disturb her so am just trying my best to find out all I can..this forum and internet are life savers
xx

 

[clarey]

I just remembered something else.....its worse when they have a growth spurt as it can take a few days for the stomach sphincters to catch up leaving the stomach kind of open for acid to travel up, cant remember whether 4 weeks is a growth spurt age but you might find symptoms ease a bit in between times

 

[Neev]

Clarey then I think he is definately on a growth spurt because he seems more in pain for the last few days. Also, the weigh in from last week to this week - 5 day gap showed he had put on 11oz. So this definately coincides with his constant feeding also.

Now have been told to give him smaller feeds but more frequently because bigger feeds make the reflux worse! But Aaron wants to latch on, he wants milk because drinking the milk makes him feel better as that feels better going down the food pipe than the acid coming up..

 

[MaryLouise]

This is interesting...Can you tell me where you got info on the net, Freddie has some symptoms and he too constantly wants to feed, have tried infacol and gripe water with no let up on his moans and groans especially at night, he is almost always awake throughout the day and night looking for attention when he gets it he seems better perhaps a distraction from his tummy pains? He has the dr tomorrow so I will mention it to her

 

[CoreysMummy]

My DS litterally cried/screamed from the min he was born. Screamed the hospital down!! It took me two trips to the GP and finally one to A&E to get Silent reflux diagnosed.

You must give ranitidine atleast 2 weeks to work. Remember, all that acid has been stripping the throat so that needs to heal etc...!

Remember also that the dose can be upp'd so dont feel at a total loss, if theres no change - there was no change with DS, until he was finnally admited to hospital for 3 days, and doses were trippled - hes been a different baby!! Its amazing to not have a baby that cries for 18hours a day, he sleeps, hes happy, I can take him out etc. Its great.

The other thing is s Cows Milk Protine Intollerance. Our milk was changed to a prescription only formula, this had an imediate effect on his poo's. Not wattery any more, more playdough like, no wind, much happyer etc. That is always something worth looking into or enqireing about at your next Pead appointment, if there has been no change in LO.

Just for your info, at about 9lb DS was presribed, 0.4ml 3 times day ranitidine. Did NOTHING, I mean didlly squat. Dose is now 1.5ml 3 times a day, and hes great!! Its a weight dependant drug, I have to alter the dose every 2 weeks now as hes growing so fast! I also had to wean early because he would not drink, as drinking opened the muscle, and therefore let the acid up.. .food dosent do this.

ANY questions about anything, or want me to re-explaine anything iv writen just ask its bloody hard work having a reflux baby!! Theres a few of us on here!!

 

[Neev]

MaryLouise - The website I found most useful was - http://www.reflux.org.au/index.php
I hope I am allowed to pase that link here - it is an informational website only.

CoreysMummy - thanks for all the information you have provided so far,you have been a great support. It most definately has been emotionally difficult, I dont mind the sleepless nights for myself but for Aaron - having seen him with heavy eyelids, no sleep, constant tiredness and hoarse voice from the crying - finally I can say today we have seen a big difference in him and he is a little more settled, I would say the medicine has worked 75%. We are on 6th day today and the Paed did say we should see a difference in a week, she said to watch out for green poo from 4th day because thats the acid being pumped out from the stomach, well - we did see that Is the dose your DS is on now 1.5 ml 3 times a day - do you up the dose according to the Paed?

x

 

[CoreysMummy]

Yeah, because we were admited to hospital when DS was 12 weeks old, I was in there with him for 3 days, I guess they decided I was compitent, and so gave me the formula (/way) to work out how much meds he should be getting for his weight. So I change the dose on my own now, and go to see a pead if and when I need to.

My GP will NOT prescribe Ranitidine because its not actually licenced for use in childeren under 3. Check this with yours before you run to low, as we ended up back in A&E just to get a repeat prescription This is the same idiot that told me DS had Colic, when I suggested Reflux.

If I can help at all let me know

 

[millylillyrose]

you should see a difference after the first week on the meds, if not perhaps you might need them change them. it took my firends little boy 4 different meds before they found the one that worked for him.
India had exactly the same problem, and due to the silent reflux was feeding constantly. the doctor said the when they get the pain, all they know is something hurts and milk used to help their tummy pains. they cant distinguish which pain they are havint, therefore they resort to feeding (which can actually make it worse to over feed) Try him with a dummy after feeds so he has something to suck, this can also help keep the acid down.

India seems a lot better with her meds since friday (same medication and dose) it took a good week, and has gone back to her smiely happy self again. She does sleep a lot more, and i think its down to the meds, i was also told her excessive sleeping in the day was due to her finally feeling comfortable and recovering. sitting her upright and still in a chair after feeds also helps for us, we dont seem to have a problem with her sleeping position. I do still give her the infacol at night, as she wont burp if she's sleepy and gas is our never ending battle.

Is such a horrible thing to see them go through, i really hope you find something that works for your gorgeous boy.