Question
Dr Mike,
My daughter is 4 1/2 months old and was diagnosed with GERD at two weeks. Since she was 2 months old she started an odd behavior. She pulls her arm and legs in and locks them, arches her back, holds her breath, face turns red, eyes flutter or get glossy and red, hands get clammy and body sweaty. I took her in to the Dr they thought it might be seizures, but ruled that out because she sometimes look at you while this is all going on. They started her on Zantac but I didn’t notice any changes, they increased the dose and again no change. She does this all day long every day she wares herself out and falls asleep. The only way to relieve her is if I hold her vertical. I cant do that all day and its hard to get on with my day when I see her in this trance straining. Her doctors say its her way of dealing with GERD. I cant help but wonder if it isn’t something else. Her symptoms are spiting up and the straining, the only crying is from frustration after a spell. Weight gain is fine and otherwise is very health.
Richelle
Answer
Hi Richelle,
If the problem is mainly “heartburn” from GERD, then the dose of Zantac can be increased or changed to another medicine which decreases the acid content of the stomach, and prevents it from hurting as much. If your little one still has a severe degree of vomiting then there are other medicines, but that doesn’t sound like that’s the case.
The general rule for treating Reflux is that if the baby is otherwise eating and growing normally, limit intervention and medicines, treat with head elevation and rice cereal (see links above), and wait.
Also, just a note about seizures. Just because your child “looks” at you doesn’t necessarily rule out seizure activity. I would have your little one reevaluated by your doc with the problems you have mentioned above.
I hope that helps. Dr. Mike
