Treatment and Management of Reflux & GERD in Infants
Lifestyle adjustments can be extremely effective in reducing acid reflux and treating GERD in babies. In fact, many babies don’t need medication if you use these strategies for managing reflux and treating GERD:
- Avoid overfeeding
- Don’t feed the baby again after he or she spits up (wait until the next feeding time)
- Check with your doctor to see if you are using appropriately sized bottles or nursing the appropriate amount of time.
- If your baby is formula-fed, thicken the formula with a small amount of rice cereal
- Keep the baby upright for at least 30 minutes after a feeding
- Try not to let your baby spend too much time in a car seat (The baby’s position in the car seat can promote reflux)
- Avoid tight diapers and elastic waistbands
Most infants with reflux or GERD will be helped with the treatment mentioned above. If symptoms are severe or persistent then your primary care provider may consider treatment with a medication or referral to a pediatric gastroenterologist.
Learn more about coping with GERD and reflux in infants.
