Symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux in children

Gastroesophageal reflux in children can cause great harm to our gastroesophageal tract. I hope patients can go to the hospital for treatment in time. We need to learn more about the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux in children so that we can detect the existence of gastroesophageal reflux in children and avoid greater damage to the children's gastroesophageal tract. Let us now learn about the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux in children.

Gastroesophageal reflux, simply put, refers to the reflux of gastric or duodenal contents from the stomach into the esophagus. Children have a period of physiological gastroesophageal reflux during their growth and development. The reason is that the local sphincter of the baby's cardia is not fully developed. It usually gradually improves within 18 months after birth.

Pathological reflux often has anatomical abnormalities or secondary lesions. In addition to causing a series of digestive system symptoms, it is also accompanied by respiratory system symptoms of varying degrees. Common situations include persistent vomiting and growth retardation in infants and young children, accompanied by or only with recurrent unhealed respiratory tract infections; older children may experience a burning sensation behind the sternum and acid reflux similar to those in adults.

The main manifestation of gastroesophageal reflux in newborns and infants is repeated vomiting, with the vomitus mainly consisting of food, and about 1/3 containing bile, indicating the presence of duodenogastric reflux at the same time. Generally, the disease heals naturally within 2 years of age, but it may also cause some complications such as malnutrition, aspiration pneumonia, and sudden asthma-like bronchospasm at night.

Since the reflux content contains gastric enzymes and pepsin, children may feel a burning sensation in the esophagus during reflux, which often occurs when they are lying flat at night. When the reflux volume is large, children may suddenly wake up with choking and coughing, and some may induce bronchial asthma. Repeated reflux inhalation can cause chronic lung inflammation and even pulmonary fibrosis.

Based on the article’s introduction to the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux in children, I hope you will remember the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux in children in your life. Gastroesophageal reflux in children may cause inflammation of the esophagus and mucosal bleeding, and may cause nausea in children. Mothers should listen to the doctor's advice to treat it.