Does that screaming mean your infant has colic? Perhaps. But maybe it’s something that’s actually treatable. Did you know that infants can suffer from Reflux? Dr. Sears describes Reflux as one of the most common hidden medical causes of colic. Gastro esophageal reflux (GER), is a condition in which stomach acids are regurgitated into the esophagus, causing pain and discomfort. Adults call this "heartburn."

The most common symptoms in an infant are painful blasts of crying, frequent bouts of abdominal pain, arching backwards while crying, seeming more comfortable when carried upright, sleeping on the stomach, or sleeping propped up at a 30-degree angle, and sour breath.

Reflux is simple enough to treat once it’s been diagnosed. There are a few medications, such as Zantac, that are very helpful in treating Reflux. Your Pediatrician can prescribe these and help you decide which is best for your child. In addition, there are things that you can do to help your baby; take care to keep your baby in a sitting position for at least 20 minutes after each feeding, offer smaller, more frequent feedings, and breastfeed (studies show that GER is less in breastfed babies), to name a few.

It is speculated that one-third to one-half of all babies have some degree of Reflux during the first three months. The good news is that most infants seem to outgrow it by the time they reach a year old. If your baby is diagnosed with colic, you might step back and take a closer look. It may actually be Reflux.

Copyright 2003 Christi Colvin

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Christi Colvin is a WAHM with one beautiful son (for now) and a wonderful husband. She is also "webmom" to a site that allows moms to market and sell their products without the hassle of running a website.  Visit http://www.CraftyMommy.com for more information.