Gastro-oesophageal reflux of the newborn: True Causes and Remedies

Are you ready to revolutionise the old definition of gastro-oesophageal reflux in babies?

But most importantly... are you ready to discover the real causes of baby's reflux and how to solve it effectively?

Take five minutes to read this carefully article I wrote for you, it will be worth it.

I'll tell you right away that all Gastric Reflux, Regurgitation and Vomiting in Babies NOT (normal) physiological problemsare NOT caused by a fateful "immaturity of the cardia"(upper valve that closes the stomach) and your child is NOT forced to suffer e cry.

Thanks to recent scientific studies (I'll tell you about them later) we can state that reflux in newborns is caused by a irritative and inflammatory state of the gastro-intestinal system of your baby.

In this article I explain the real causes of reflux and how solve it effectively to help your child be well.

To facilitate your reading, I have prepared a index with all the topics covered.

Index

WHAT GASTRO-OESOPHAGEAL REFLUX IN THE NEWBORN IS
INFANT REGURGITATION, REFLUX AND VOMITING
SYMPTOMS TO UNDERSTAND IF YOU SUFFER FROM REFLUX
SILENT REFLUX
THE REAL CAUSE OF GASTRO-OESOPHAGEAL REFLUX
CURRENT MEDICAL TREATMENTS FOR INFANT REFLUX
HOW TO SOLVE AND TREAT GASTRO-OESOPHAGEAL REFLUX IN NEW-BORN BABIES
HOW TO TREAT INFANT REFLUX AND REGURGITATION WITH PAEDIATRIC OSTEOPATHY
THE CHILD'S BACK ARMS: IS IT REFLUSED?
BABY CRIES WHILE BREASTEDING OR SOON AFTER POPULATION: IS IT REFLUKING?
Hypertone of the newborn and reflux
infant hiccups and reflux
anti-reflux pillow: does it work?
testimonies of parents who have treated reflux
attention to the paediatric osteopath
gastro-oesophageal reflux disease AND OTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS

Introduction

The reflux gastroesophageal, i regurgitations and the vomiting of the newborn child are some of the most frequent e disabling for the child in the first months of life.

Unfortunately, in most cases reflux is defined as 'physiological' just because the child (fortunately) is growing in weight, despite suffer and weep to a greater or lesser extent.

Parents are told that reflux is normal as caused by a fateful immaturity of the cardia (spoiler: this is false), i.e. of the valve that closes the stomach at the top.

After studying these issues in depth and after solving successfully thousands of cases of reflux in infants, I can state that reflux is not at all normal or physiological, quite the contrary.

The reflux gastroesophageal, the vomiting and the regurgitations of the infant (as well as gaseous colic) are caused by a inflammatory and irritative picture of the stomach (and gastro-intestinal tract - see subsequent scientific studies).

But what are the causes that irritate the stomach and, more generally, the entire gastrointestinal system?

How do you prevents (yes, you read that right; reflux can be prevented) or how to really care infant reflux, regurgitation and vomiting?

In this article and the video below I explain the how to make your baby feel good and answer the most frequently asked questions about infant reflux.

If you wish to schedule a studio appointment you can find my contact details here, if you live far away I have created for you a in-depth video course in which I guide you step by step to solve it.

In the video course 'Colic and Reflux Cure' you will find:

in-depth explanation of all causes of reflux (factors that irritate and inflame your child's stomach);
such as improve all factors that disturb the stomach;
nutritionist's comprehensive guide to maternal nutrition in pregnancy and breastfeeding
specific videos on how to perform the osteopathic belly massage of the newborn (Osteo-Massage) to improve gastric and intestinal transit.

More than 3-hour video course to answer all your questions and provide you with a truly effective solution for infant reflux.

1. What is gastro-oesophageal reflux in the newborn - medical definition

Very often the right importance to this issue on the grounds that the presence of reflux is (often) temporary and generally without risk to the child's growth.

However, many infants suffer significantly so cry several hours a day, regurgitate often, have severe difficulties of sleep, problems in breastfeedingdifficulties at times of play and report with the child.

Why ignore the pain of the child and underestimate the problem when you can prevent as early as pregnancy or solve in the first months of life?

From medical terminology, the gastro-oesophageal reflux consists in the ascent towards the oesophagus of the food in the stomach.

In the case of the newborn, being an infant, the reflux is the upflow of milk from the stomach into the oesophagus and the mouth, with (or without) vomiting/regurgitation.

Reflux, especially in cases where the child cries e is sickis not caused by a fatal immaturity of the cardia, but by an inflammation and irritation of the gastrointestinal system (especially of the stomach) causing digestive difficulties, pain more or less marked and possible regurgitation.

To demonstrate what has just been said, above is a recent 2018 scientific study ('Infantile Colic, New Insights into an Old Problem', published in the magazine Gastroenterology Clinics of North America) that demonstrates how gaseous colic is caused by a inflammatory and irritative picture of the gastrointestinal system.

In a nutshell, they took the infant's poo, analysed it in the lab and found levels of faecal calprotectin increased (objective sign by intestinal inflammation).

The same factors that irritate and inflame the intestine, disturb the stomach.

Also because the milk (i.e. what the child eats) passes first from the stomach and then goes into the intestine.

This is why colic e reflux often coexist in the same child.

In the following paragraphs I will explain what irritates the stomach of the child, the true causes of reflux and how you too can treating him effectively.

First, however, I will explain what differences are meant in the definitions of reflux, regurgitations e infant vomiting.

2. Regurgitation, Reflux and Vomiting in the Infant

In general, these 3 definitions define the intensity of the problem.

Let me explain.

In general, there is a tendency to define "Regurgitation" minor/medium episodes in which the child vomit milk (escapes from the mouth); these episodes may occur either close to the feeding or at a distance.

Usually, despite the regurgitation the baby grows regularly.

When it comes to regurgitation, the newborn baby is not too bothered by the problem (although it is equally not to be considered physiological).

On the other hand, the definition of gastro-oesophageal reflux in the newborn presupposes a worsening of simple regurgitation.

Under the term gastro-oesophageal reflux it is understood that the child suffers (and cry) because of the ascent towards the oesophagus of the milk present in the stomach, resulting in irritation of stomach and theoesophagus.

This frequent rising of milk can be accompanied from regurgitation episodes more or less marked, more or less frequent, more or less close to feeding.

The term 'Vomiting"implies a further worsening of gastro-oesophageal reflux and is used to indicate episodes of moderate/severe regurgitation entities; episodes in which the child may projectile vomiting in large quantities of milk.

In cases of vomiting, it is important make sure the child grows and that it does not hide more serious problems (pyloric stenosis, blood in vomited milk, etc.).

When the child has significant vomiting episodes, the paediatrician should be contacted to rule out pathological disorders (defined as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease - MRGE).

Fortunately, we are talking about a minimum percentage of cases.

Most of the times when a newborn vomits, regurgitates or suffers from reflux are 'physiological' and solvable with all the precautions I will show you later.

3. What are the symptoms to understand if the infant suffers from gastro-oesophageal reflux

The symptomor rather, the most significant objective sign to understand whether your child suffers from gastro-oesophageal reflux is regurgitation/vomiting.

Indeed, this objective sign clearly manifests the rising of stomach contents (milk) through the oesophagus into the mouth.

The regurgitation episodes may occur both near and far from meals, and may be more or less marked.

In my personal experience, it is always very important to assess whether the regurgitation are associated with irritability or the child vomits without hardly noticing it.

Other signs and symptoms to understand if the newborn suffers from ''reflux'' are the difficulty and slowness in digesting milk just after feeding, during suckling itself or at a distance.

Because of this digestive difficulty the newborn presents gastric discomfort which manifests itself in crying both during the feeding and at a distance from it.

In addition, the child may present gastric emptying problems, air in the stomach, difficulty in burping and milk upflow into the oesophagus with or without regurgitation.

Another symptom that a child suffering from reflux may present is the cough.

In addition, in the presence of gastric emptying and reflux difficulties, the child is more likely to have the hiccups.

This can manifest itself either immediately after the meal or at a distance.

In summary, the numerous symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux in the newborn are:

regurgitation/vomiting close to feeding or at a distance
crying and irritability during or after feeding
digestive and gastric emptying difficulties
the parent may feel or notice from the sound that the milk they have just eaten seems to rise
the baby continues to digest hours after feeding
the child often has hiccups
the child frequently has a cough

4. Silent reflux of the newborn

This definition is very popular among health professionals to define an infant's irritability at or immediately after feeding, but in absence of regurgitation that would justify genuine gastro-oesophageal reflux.

Such irritability is attributed to difficulties in digestion and gastric emptying.

As there is no objective sign of milk ascending into the oesophagus and mouth (absence of regurgitation), this type of reflux is called ''silent reflux''.

Although the child does not regurgitate, the gastro-intestinal system results equally irritated and inflamed (swollen and sore belly).

5. The true cause of gastro-oesophageal reflux in the newborn baby

As we understood in the previous chapters, the terms Regurgitation e gastroesophageal reflux of the newborn are very similar and often imply the same thing: gastric digestive difficulties with possible regurgitations, irritability e annoyance.

When the infant suffers from reflux but does not regurgitate, we speak of silent reflux.

La MAIN CAUSE of infant reflux and regurgitation that it is customary to allege (spoiler: it's fake) is the infamous ''immaturity of the cardia'', i.e. that valve that closes the stomach at the top and should not allow milk to flow back up into the oesophagus and then the mouth.

But is it really so?

In your opinion, the only gastro-intestinal immaturity can really create so much pain to the child?

The answer is NO, far from it.

La true cause for which the child suffers from reflux, cries and is sick is a inflammatory and irritative picture of the stomach (and often of the entire gastrointestinal system).

This inflammatory and irritative picture causes digestive difficulties, an alteration of gastric transit, a swollen abdomen, possible regurgitations and certainly pain to the child.

What irritates and inflames the stomach?

Lhe answer is simple: all that is poorly digested by the child irritates and inflames the child's gastro-intestinal system (as it also does in adults).

Anything that is poorly digested by the child causes both reflux either gaseous colic; that is why these issues often coexist.

This does not mean that breast milk or formula is the wrong food for the baby, but it does mean that certain parameters of thematernal nutritionof the type of artificial milk e other factors make milk difficult for the baby to digest and, as a result, irritate and inflame the stomach.

In the following paragraphs I will explain how to really cure regurgitation and reflux gastro-oesophageal of the newborn.

First, however, let's talk about current medical-pharmacological therapies for reflux.

6. Current medical therapies for ''physiological'' gastro-oesophageal reflux in the newborn child

Until not so many years ago, gastro-oesophageal reflux was not so much talked about.
They were called simple ''regurgitations'', were considered physiological (even though the infant cried continuously in pain) and one hoped they would pass by themselves.

In recent years, more and more attention has been paid to this issue (and fortunately also to the well-being of the newborn), which is why reflux has become one of the most common diagnoses in infancy.

That is why hearing about drug therapies for reflux and anti-reflux milk is on the agenda.

But the results of these ''new therapies and anti-reflux milks'' what are they?

From my clinical experience in treating hundreds of infants with ''reflux'' i results of current therapies are often incomplete.

This is because there is a tendency to make only use of drugs more or less strong (RefluxSan, Gastrotuss, Noremiga, pump inhibitor drugs, gastroprotectors, etc.) or of anti-reflux milk without resolving the real parameters that irritate the gastro-intestinal system.

Let me give you a concrete example: if you eat pizza every day and don't digest it, your stomach could be affected and you could suffer from reflux... in which case is it useful to take a gastroprotectant or other medicine against reflux?

Or is it smarter stop eating pizza every day, eat healthily, let your stomach and intestine disinfect, and then solve the problem?

Unfortunately, using only drugs without knowing (and solving) the real causes that irritate the stomach is a strategy counterproductive and often ineffective in the short and long term.

NBWhen a child suffers from reflux and takes medication, one should not discontinue them without first consulting one's paediatrician; however, one can (and should) put into practice all the precautions to de-escalate the stomach, massage it and restore proper transit.

7. How to solve and treat gastro-oesophageal reflux, regurgitation and vomiting in the newborn baby

Having come this far, you will have realised by now that the current approach to this issue is insufficient and there is a need for improve the support offered to the child and his parents.

To make this happen is innovation is needed approach to these issues through a in-depth, multidisciplinary knowledge of human anatomy and physiology.

Thanks to my many years of experience in the industry, comparing myself with my medical colleagues and thanks to my cross-sectional studies in disciplines complementary to my profession (from nutrition to psychology, from paediatrics to obstetrics), I discovered all the parameters which current medicine does not take into account, but which are fundamentals at prevention and in the resolution of this issue.

I main factors that irritate the child's stomach and intestinesand that, accordingly, cause reflux, regurgitation, vomiting, irritability and gastrointestinal digestive difficulties are as follows.

To treat infant reflux, if the baby is breastfed one has to evaluate:

l'maternal nutrition (there are certain foods eaten by the mother that irritate the baby's gastro-intestinal system in pregnancy and in breastfeeding - yes, you got it right, the phrase "the mother can eat whatever she wants and has no influence on the child is FALSA” )
one must assess any food supplements mother and child;
one must assess the microbiota maternal;
the presence of gastrointestinal tension created due to the inflammatory framework (just feel if the abdomen is swollen and sore) and you have to improve them with massage belly osteopath which I teach to parents (Osteo-Massage to the newborn, massage to be done twice a day until the newborn's reflux improves);
other fundamental parameters for the mother, the parents and the child

If you breastfeed and want to solve your baby's reflux you can make an appointment in the my studio (Centro Yule, Seregno - MB) or, if you live far away, I have created a in-depth video course in which I guide you step by step to solve it.

Here's how to treat your baby's gastro-oesophageal reflux, regurgitation and vomiting if your baby is artificially breastfed:

one must assess the type of infant formula (all milks have the same nutritional values but not all types/brands of milk are digested well, on the contrary),
the type of feeding bottle,
the teat,
as it comes positioning the child during bottle-feeding,
the rhythm of the feeding itself and the breaks,
the presence of gastrointestinal tension created by the inflammatory picture must be assessed (just feel if the abdomen is swollen and sore) and you have to improve them with massage belly osteopath that I teach to parents (Osteo-Massage to the newborn, massage to be done twice a day until colic resolves);
other fundamental factors to be investigated and improved...

As mentioned above, if you are breastfeeding and want to solve your baby's reflux you can schedule a appointment in the my studio (Yule Centre, Seregno - MB) or, if you live far away, I have created a in-depth video course in which I guide you step by step to solve it.

8. How to treat reflux and regurgitation in the newborn with paediatric osteopathy

To effectively treat reflux, regurgitation and vomiting in new-born babies, one needs to know all the parameters that irritate the stomach and intestines; only then can one be truly effective by performing Osteo-Massage to the belly (see video course) and performing specific osteopathic treatments.

This is what my team and I do every day in the studio at the Yule Centre in Seregno (Monza and Brianza).

9. The child arches his back: is it reflux?

In order to understand the real causes why a newborn baby arches its back and head, it is necessary to start with a a brief outline of anatomy.

To arch your head, bring it backwards and arch your back, you must activate the back muscles of the neck and back itself.

We are talking about the cervical and dorsal paravertebral musculature.

That is, the same muscles that we adults would activate if we lay on our stomachs and tried to lift our heads and backs from that position.

Here, once you understand the anatomy of the muscles responsible for arching, or rather, extending the head and back, we try to understand why the newborn activates them.

La explanation is simple and scientific.

Due to intrauterine malpositions in which the infant was left with its head extended in the mother's belly, or due to a more or less difficult childbirth, the child can develop muscle contractures and joint stiffness in the cervical and dorsal region, more or less marked.

These contracturesAfter birth, they may give the baby more or less discomfort, both when awake and asleep, force him to arch his head and backwards.

Arching of the back is caused by activation and contractures of the back muscles, not from reflux.

Arching can be worsened and amplified by the gastrointestinal disorders that lead him to accentuate a posture that he already has.

Proof of what I am saying is the fact that many children who arch their heads and backs sharply do not suffer from reflux or colic at all, quite the contrary.

Perhaps they sleep peacefully through the night, albeit in a very hunched position.

In these cases, muscle contractures are present in the absence of gastrointestinal complaints.

Another proof that it is not reflux itself that causes back arching is the fact that thousands of children suffering from reflux or even colic do not arch their backs at all.

They simply cry, have a bellyache or stomachache but do not throw back their heads or backs.

So, in conclusion, the infant does not arch his or her back because of reflux, but in the presence of back contractures, reflux manifests them more clearly.

10. Infant cries while breastfeeding or immediately after feeding: is it reflux?

Le main causes for an infant crying during breastfeeding are:

Gastrointestinal disorders such as colic and gastro-oesophageal reflux (extremely frequent);
Le sucking difficulties (although less frequently they create tears).

Sucking problems

The baby may cry when breastfed because struggles to have a nutritious and effective suction.

In these cases, due to poor breast positioning by the mother, the short frenulum of the newborn or to causing contractures in the child's neck and mouth that result in deficient suckingbaby struggles to latch on to the breast and remain attached; as a result cries.

Gastrointestinal problems

The second reason why an infant cries during breastfeeding, as well as the root cause, are the gastrointestinal disordersi.e. colic and gastro-oesophageal reflux in the newborn.

The child cries during or immediately after breastfeeding because when it eats, it activates the gastro-colic reflexi.e. the baby's intestinal peristalsis (contractile movement) begins.

In cases where the child's stomach and intestines are already irritated, when the child eats, the pain symptoms worsen causing crying and irritability.

This annoyance, being related to digestion same, is accentuated either during the feeding itself or just after the feeding.

11. Hypertone in the newborn and gastro-oesophageal reflux

What is meant by hypertone of the newborn child? How to evaluate themuscle hypertonus and especially as solve it? The infant with muscular hypertone suffers from reflux?

These are some questions that thousands of parents pose themselves daily when their child is very irritated, cries, arches often and is difficult to console.

In this video I will explain how I assess and resolve hundreds of cases with so-called muscle hypertonus every month, but before I explain how to resolve it, I must explain what is meant by hypertonus and, above all, what the causes are.

The term infant hypertone (we are talking about infants without pathological or neurological disorders) refers to a increased back muscle tone and the neck of the child.

To arrive at a diagnosis of hypertone, the paediatrician often assesses how much the child is arching with the back and how much is irritable in various situations throughout the day (also due to gastrointestinal disorders such as reflux and colic).

Firstly, I must tell you that I don't like talking about muscle hypertonus of the newborn child; this is not a correct term.

Let me explain.

Hypertone and hypotone refer more to a neurological, pathological problem.

But the child arches not because he has increased muscle tone due to neurological problems...

...does so because the muscles of the back and neck are contracted due to intrauterine malpositions or a difficult birth!

Having contracted muscles is different from having increased muscle tone.

This explains how the arching (so-called hypertone) of the back is caused by muscle activation and contractures, not reflux.

Certainly, the child's bowing and irritability can be worsened and amplified by the gastrointestinal disorders (colic and reflux) that lead him to accentuate a posture that he already has.

12. Infant hiccups and gastro-oesophageal reflux

Hiccups are a involuntary movement characterised by the rapid contraction of diaphragm and other accessory respiratory muscles.

To their sudden contraction follows a sudden closure of vocal cords (producing the characteristic 'choking' sound of hiccups)

Hiccups are a reflex' mechanismcontrolled by a nerve circuit:

phrenic nerve (innervates the diaphragm)
vagus nerve (X cranial nerve)
Glossopharyngeal nerve (9th cranial nerve)
intercostal nerves (innervate the accessory respiratory muscles).

Why does a child develop hiccups and why is it often correlated with digestive disorders and gastrooesophageal reflux?

To answer this question, I must show you theimage below in which theanatomy of the stomach and diaphragm.

As you can see, the stomach is just below the diaphragm muscle (dome shape).

Consequently, when the child has just eaten or suffers from reflux/digestive difficulties, I stomach in turn irritates the diaphragm.

Irritation to the diaphragm causes an abrupt spasm, i.e. the hiccups.

To treat hiccups, it is necessary to go back to the root of its causes, i.e. whether the child suffers from digestive difficulties, gastro-oesophageal reflux or whether it is caused by other factors such as an incorrect position of the child during breastfeeding, too fast/hurried sucking at the breast or bottle, incorrect position of the child in the arms after feeding, etc.

For example, when the baby finishes feeding, I advise you to pick up your baby and place it chest to chest.

In this way the also help to make a possible burpif he has ingested some air because of his eagerness during breastfeeding.

I do not advise you to keep it in arm sitting forward to avoid a stiff neck and prevent it from 'hunching over'.

Another useful trick to help your baby burp (when needed) is to keep him well in do not beat with our hand on the back.

It has no function and effectiveness, on the contrary; sometimes it risks disturbing the child and get him high most.

In the video below I show you how to hold a baby (a position that is also good for helping him burp).

13. Anti-reflux pillow: my opinion

The term anti-gastro-oesophageal reflux pillow for the newborn baby refers to all those wedge-shaped cushions or to nest shape that raise the child's back.

Lo purpose of these anti-reflux pillows would be to raising the torso of the baby to aid digestion and decrease the likelihood of the milk rising, creating discomfort.

However, not only are these often useless (because the newborn continues to suffer from gastro-oesophageal reflux and regurgitation), but also dangerous for the shape of the child's little head (which risks developing a positional brachycephaly).

The infant's little head is in fact very modelling and grows rapidly in the first 3-4 months of life.

Incorrect postures kept for too long risk flattening the infant's head and deforming it.

Anti-reflux baby pillows, as well as nest-shaped pillows (e.g. coocona baby) and positional plagiocephaly pillows (pillows with a central hole), risk to speed up the flattening of the head why limit neck movement of the child and increase the bearing surface of the head.

If the parent unknowingly abuses it, positional brachycephaly (posteriorly flat head) is easily created.

In light of the above, my advice is to do not waste money in buying an anti-reflux pillow to try to reduce the symptoms but to really solve reflux gastro-oesophageal of the newborn.

14. Parents' testimonies

15. Beware of the osteopath to whom you turn

I often receive parents who had already relied on my other osteopathic colleagues without getting results.

As I always say, it is not osteopathy that does not work, it is the practitioner's skills that are lacking.

La specialisation in paediatric osteopathy is difficult and requires a lot of experience, the neonatal one being even more so.

Make sure that the osteopath you turn to is really competent for the well-being of your child (and not to waste money unnecessarily).

16. Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and other important considerations

A few clarifications are necessary before leaving this page.

Nota bene No. 1: the osteopath does not replace paediatric or gastroenterological examinations (or any pharmacological therapies) but works alongside them to ensure a 360-degree view of the problem and offer the best possible support to the patient.

Note 2: In rare cases, reflux is extremely resistant and is associated with severe difficulties such as weight loss, inconsolable crying, refusal of food, jet vomiting or vomiting with traces of blood.

In these cases, reflux may have underlying pathological conditions that require further investigation and specific treatment.

When reflux is particularly persistent and not responsive to classic infant treatment, one tends to speak of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

In any case, the diagnosis of reflux (GER) and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a paediatric competence and that of the paediatric gastroenterologist.