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Baby GERD Symptoms

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is caused when food and acid travel back up the esophagus because the group of muscles that separates the stomach from the esophagus, called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), fails to close completely. When this happens, the esophagus becomes irritated. In a baby, GERD often occurs because the digestive tract is still developing.

  1. Irritability

    • A baby with GERD may often be fussy or irritable and cry often. The inconsolable crying can occur while the baby is eating or after the baby has finished eating. This irritability can be caused by heartburn, excess gas or abdominal pain. A baby with GERD may also be fussy because the refluxed stomach contents cause her esophagus to burn.

    Spitting Up

    • Many babies who have acid reflux often spit up. This can either be passive spit up, which just seems to dribble out of the baby's mouth, or it can be forceful vomit. Spitting up more than an hour after eating is another symptom of acid reflux. Many babies who do not have GERD also spit up, so the lone symptom of spitting up may not indicate that a baby has GERD.

    Sleeping Problems

    • Poor sleeping or frequent waking while sleeping can be symptoms of acid reflux. If the baby is laying flat while sleeping, partially digested food and acid can escape from the stomach more easily, which causes the esophagus to become irritated. This can cause the baby to choke and can wake the baby up. This can also make it difficult for a baby to fall asleep.

    Feeding Issues

    • Feeding time can be very rough for a baby with GERD. A baby with GERD might refuse to eat or only eat small portions, and she might cry through the feeding and have difficulty swallowing. She may also arch her back or draw up her legs while eating. After feeding, a baby with GERD might start to choke or gag because of the food and acid traveling back up the esophagus.

    Respiratory Symptoms

    • A baby with GERD might have a frequent cough, may wheeze and may sound hoarse. She may have times where she stops breathing, called apnea. This may cause her skin to have a bluish hue. Recurrent pneumonia caused by the regurgitated stomach contents being aspirated into the lungs is also a symptom of GERD in babies.

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