What Causes Vomiting While Treating Acid Reflux?
My daughter has been treated off an on for reflux since birth. She had a terrible time with her bottle, would arch her back and scream. Once she was onto solids, she would rarely eat. Our peditrician suspected reflux and put her on meds. Her eating immeduiately improved. We have taken her off the prevacid but now we are noticing she gets very mucosy/congested when she falls asleep after having a full bottle of milk. SHe also snores and sounds like she is swalling something (thick secretions maybe) she also complains that her nose is wet and runny (in her sleep). She wakes up coughing so much to the point where she ends up vomiting from the coughing. She also wakes up at night asking for water. I am so upset because I think her reflux is back and her doctor said that if she has not outgrown it by now, chances are she will have it for life. I don't want her living on medication but on the other hand I don't want her developing and esophageal problems like strictures or barrets. Please advise. Is there hope she could still get better?
No need to worry
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
I have gone carefully through your query and understand your concerns. The junction of the foodpipe and the stomach acts as a sphincter preventing the reflux of stomach acids. In case of children the muscle tone is not high and so this sphincter action is often lacking, thus leading to reflux. Thickening of foods and moving over to semisolids and solids would help in preventing reflux. Try to move over from milk to solids. It is not a good idea to continue to let her sleep with a bottle in her mouth. It could lead to aspiration and worse. It is no wonder that she has thick secretions. Dietary modification would help her outgrow it. I do not suppose that such a thing will progress to Barrett's or strictures. Regarding the snoring, she needs to be clinically evaluated.
As the muscle tone improves, it will get better.
Let me know if I could help further.
Regards
Wait and watch
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back and for clarifying. What your doctor has said, is a possibility, but not the only possibility. The muscle tone can eventually grow but it is hard to predict. There is no specific treatment for the condition except for the supportive treatment that is ongoing. the medicine is safe and not harmful and so you need not worry.
It does not mean that it would be there lifelong. Nevertheless, it cannot be predicted if and when she would outgrow it.
Regards