Does My Baby Have GERD?
If your baby is spitting up, but otherwise seems content and healthy, you probably don’t need to worry about GERD. But if your baby is fussy, failing to gain weight, or showing other signs and symptoms of GERD, consult your pediatrician.
Symptoms of GERD include:
- Vomiting
- Coughing
- Irritability
- Poor feeding
- Poor growth
- Breathing problems
All of these symptoms can be caused by disorders other than GERD. Your pediatrician will be able to make a final diagnosis. If your child is experiencing these symptoms discuss them with your family doctor or find a pediatric gastroenterologist near you.
Diagnosing GERD in Infants
If your doctor suspects your baby’s acid reflux has triggered GERD, he or she will run tests to confirm the diagnosis. Tests may include:
- Blood or urine tests
- pH monitoring, to test the level of acidity in the infant’s esophagus
- Upper endoscopy, in which a small camera is inserted into the baby’s esophagus (this is rarely required to make a diagnosis)
