[NPInfo] Peds GI/Pulmonary people/Infant Reflux

[Laura Baker]

Hello,
 
Looking for advice about my 6 month old daughter. She has severe GERD since
about 3 weeks old. She was born at 36 weeks )due to my cardiac problem) by c
section. She spent 8 hours in the NICU for transitional Her symptoms started
with some spitting and arching early on. She started on Zantac at about 3
weeks old and I actually stopped it after about 3 weeks because I thought
she didn't need it anymore. Then she started coughing and getting congested
all the time but especially with feedings. We restarted Zantac and the
symptoms went away. About a month later they came back so we started Reglan
too. Then they went away again. That lasted about a month then the same
thing happened so we added Prilosec. Then she went to GI who ordered a
gastric emptying study and an upper GI. Both showed she had delayed gastric
emptying and reflux, no anatomic abnormalities. She stopped coughing for
awhile and I cancelled the Peds Pulmonary appointment because I didn't think
they would do anything else for her and the GI NP told me she didn't need to
go.
 
She's gaining weight and very happy. Most of the time her reflux doesn't
seem to bother her but she coughs after feedings and sounds congested when
she cries after she's just eaten. She also coughs at night and when napping
in her carseat. We keep increasing her doses and she's now on the max of
Reglan, Zantac and Prilosec. I'm also giving her gaviscon 2-3 x per day. She
is breastfed and gets baby food twice a day. She gets some formula when I
work (1 day a week) and we went through formula roulette and it didn't make
any difference. I also gave up dairy products for a month and it didn't make
a difference.
 
I'm willing to wait this out until she outgrows it. We're certainly not
doing anythiung drastic like surgery unless there's a really good reason.
But I'm worried about her lungs. Has anyone even seen respiratory meds used
in these types of kids? Her lungs are always clear so I doubt she's
aspirating but I wonder if she needs something like Flovent.
 
Thanks for any advice.
Laura Baker NP