What are the dangers of gastroesophageal reflux in children?

Many babies often suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease before they are one year old. This disease causes great harm to the baby's esophagus, but many mothers do not recognize this problem clearly. When their children become ill, they just give them simple treatment, thinking that the condition will be effectively alleviated after the child is one year old. In fact, this is a very irresponsible practice towards children. So what specific dangers will gastroesophageal reflux cause in children?

Gastroesophageal reflux disease refers to a disease in which gastric contents reflux into the esophagus, causing uncomfortable symptoms or complications. Reflux can cause esophageal inflammation, erosion, ulcers or intestinal metaplasia. In addition, reflux can be released from the pharynx, larynx and vocal cords. Ulcers can cause pharyngitis, laryngitis and chronic hoarseness. Reflux into the mouth can cause dental diseases. Reflux into the trachea can induce reflux asthma, chronic cough, interstitial pneumonia and even nocturnal suffocation.

Current research speculates that the mechanism by which reflux causes asthma may be that gastric contents are inhaled into the lungs, or even if they are not inhaled into the lungs, the reflux causes the vagus nerve from the esophagus to the lungs to be activated, leading to bronchospasm and asthma attacks.

Through the above introduction, everyone should have a detailed understanding of some of the dangers of gastroesophageal reflux in children. Therefore, parents must be vigilant when their children develop this disease. Although the incidence rate decreases after the child is one year old, some children do not receive effective treatment, and the disease can easily be prolonged into childhood, which can also easily cause certain harm to other aspects of the child.