Shortness of breath
Breathlessness can be an expression of an infection in the lungs and respiratory tract. This occurs in connection with reflux, when acidic stomach contents rise through the esophagus into the larynx, where they also enter the trachea. The trachea and the smaller, branching airways are not sufficiently protected against stomach acid and can therefore easily suffer minor injuries that can become inflamed. If chyme gets stuck in the lung tissue, it can also lead to an infection there and thus trigger a dangerous pneumonia.
Sleep disorder
If no alarm signs (such as blood in vomit, failure to thrive, frequent pneumonia or respiratory infections, etc.) can be detected in the babies, a conservative therapy of reflux is usually appropriate. This consists of training the parents to the following behavior: The food should be thickened, so that it flows less easily back into the esophagus.
A prone position of the baby should be avoided. Late or nocturnal feeding is also unfavorable. While sleeping, the baby’s upper body should be slightly elevated so that gravity keeps the stomach contents in the stomach as much as possible.
It is also known that passive smoking increases reflux, so any smoking near the baby should be avoided. Furthermore, the reflux can also be treated with medication. Proton pump inhibitors and drugs that act against the H2 receptor in the stomach reduce the acid production, so that the refluxing stomach contents attack the esophagus less.
In exceptional cases, surgery may be necessary. However, this only applies if there are anatomical anomalies that will not disappear on their own and may cause permanent problems. The most commonly used drugs in reflux are the proton pump inhibitors (PPI for proton pump inhibitors).
The proton pumps in the stomach ensure that the stomach acid becomes particularly acidic. If you use drugs against these pumps, stomach acid is still produced, but this is less acid and therefore less harmful to the esophagus. Among the PPIs, omeprazole is the drug most commonly used for children.
H2-receptor antagonists (drugs that inhibit the H2-receptor) also counteract acid production. Especially the nightly acid production is inhibited. During the day, they act less strongly than PPIs.
The drug group of prokinetics (pro=for, kinetics=movement) is based on a different mode of action. These drugs are mainly used for nausea and vomiting. They strengthen the stomach’s own movement, which it needs for digestion.
As a result, food can be digested better, so that it leaves the stomach more quickly in the direction of the intestine. For the drugs to work properly, they must be administered in an acid-resistant form. Therefore, the tablets must not be crushed or otherwise broken up.
Osteopathy is a manual form of therapy. It is based on the fact that a therapeutic effect is created with the hands by touching and pressing at various points. Osteopathy is primarily designed to activate the self-healing powers of the body.
In the case of reflux complaints, the skull base of the infant is the main focus. At this point, many cranial nerves emerge, which control the swallowing and sucking in babies. During treatment, the main focus is on relieving tension and improving the mobility of the bones, so that any possible irritation of the nerves is eliminated.
Another starting point is the diaphragm (the large breathing muscle). The esophagus passes through a hole in the diaphragm just before it opens into the stomach. Therefore, tension in the diaphragm can also cause increased difficulty swallowing and reflux.
By means of practiced movements, this breathing muscle should be relaxed and thus cause less reflux. There is still no scientific explanation for the concrete effects of osteopathic therapy. However, studies confirm a positive influence of osteopathy on children with reflux complaints.
With the help of homeopathically effective globules, reflux symptoms in babies can be relieved. Depending on the behavior of the child, different preparations are suitable for this: Silicea is often used if the child has severe swallowing difficulties and vomits immediately after drinking. If the baby is particularly prone to abdominal pain, which can be accompanied by nausea and vomiting, the use of Magnesium phosphoricum is recommended.
Aethusa cynapium is recommended in cases of torrential vomiting. If the vomiting is accompanied by hypersensitivity of the baby, nux vomica is the remedy of choice. Cuprum metallicum is most suitable if the baby drinks particularly hastily.
