She won't eat!

[tammac77]

Hi,

My 4 1/2 month old has been on Losec suspension (1.5 ml two times a day) for about 3 months. The pediatrician told us to take her off it every 6 weeks or so the see if she can manage without it. We tried this 3 weeks ago and she stopped eating almost completely for a few days. We put her back on the losec and she started to improve. We had her back to drinking about 760mls per day. Prior to taking her off the losec she had been having 900-1000mls per day (she's a very large baby-about 8kg)

She recently got sick with a bit of gastro and has stopped eating again. She's now only having 200-300mls per 24 hours and it has been going on three days. The gastro symptoms are gone and she seems well but she is refusing to eat. We have taken her to doc and my husband spent 4 hours at hospital last night but they said she isn't dehydrated and that she'll improve soon.

I'm wondering if the not eating got worse because of the gastro, but is also related to the reflux? her breath smells foul - like sour milk. Her breath smelt like that whe she was originally diagnosed with reflux, but then it got better. It is so frustrating because I just want to be able to feed her. When I try and give her a bottle - even after its been 4 hours and she hardly had anything last time, she has a small amount and then refuses. I burp her and try to give her the bottle again and that is when all hell breaks loose - she screams like I am torturing her. If I remove the bottle from her sight she settles down and seems quite content not to eat anymore. I've tried feeding her smaller amounts more often and that does work either.

I can't get in to see the pediatrician for two weeks and wondering what else I could do to make her interested in her bottle. I have tried every bottle and teat, and I can't change her formula because as well as the reflux she's had chronic constipation and she's on the formula recommended by ped.

I have a 21 month old who is suffering because all i do when my baby is awake is try to feed her. I can spend an hour just trying to get a small amount in her and meanwhile my toddler is climbing the walls. I've tried giving her water, gastrolyte and weak ribena (recommended by gp to get her fluids up) and nothing is working. I've also tried feeding her with a dropper and with a spoon.

How long will this go on for? When do babies start to get over reflux? I need some good news!

Tamara

[RISA]

Hi Tamara,
Thanks for contacting our organisation. It sounds like you really have your hands full, with a reflux bub and such a young toddler as well. I hope that you are getting a lot of support right now, and that people understand how difficult it is for you. Reflux babies can be very high needs babies, though I’m sure you already know that. It may help to know that toddlers/older children tend to cope really well, and I doubt that he will ever remember this time in his life. My girls were aged 4 and 7 when my son was born and while I don’t understand how they don’t remember what it was like, they really don’t. (for that I am grateful).

Your instincts are right, and illness is often related to a flare in reflux, so that is entirely possible it has caused a flare in her reflux. It may actually take a little while for her reflux to settle) and it may also help to know that around this age they are often at their worst- simply because they are becoming more active and yet still on a liquid diet). With both in combination, especially given that you have recently trialled weaning her off her Losec, it does make sense why things deteriorated when they did.

If things haven’t improved by now, I would recommend letting the dr know (though hopefully you have seen some improvement since you posted). Rather than waiting to see the paediatrician in 2 weeks, you could try calling them. They will often make contact that way, and you may be able to make some changes now, rather than waiting another few weeks. (or alternatively, go back to see your gp about it).

It does sound like her reflux may not be well controlled, and feeding issues like hers are quite common in reflux babies. Sometimes the medication needs to be increased during times when their reflux is flaring, at least to get them over that period, so that may be something to consider. I’m glad that you have already gotten medical advice, which of course is paramount when you are concerned, especially with feeding refusal. I’m sure it makes you feel dreadful when she responds like that to the feed, as you are only trying to do your best for her. They do often associate pain with feeding, or feeling uncomfortable, and refuse to do so (after all, they don’t know they have to!)- and it’s important to be aware that it isn’t your fault, or anything you are doing wrong. The reality is that if you knew what you could do to help her, I’m sure you’d be doing it!

Has the possibility of a food sensitivity ever been raised? That is quite common in refluxers as well, and a medical article I read quoted over 40% of reflux babies were cows milk allergic. That may be something to consider. There are formulas out there that may be better, but talking to the dr about that would be helpful. Sometimes a soy formula will help, but other times, if they have problems with cows milk, they will have problems with soy as well. Same goes with goats milk, as apparently the proteins are quite similar.

There are some prescription formulas available that may also be worth talking to your doctor about- ones like Neocate or Elecare.

I wish I could tell you when reflux will improve, but for every baby, it is different. What works for one may not work for another either, which can make it even more difficult as nobody can really tell you what you need to do to help her. It is often a matter of trial and error until you find something that works, so it often comes down to trusting our instincts, and doing what feels right.

Reflux can be a very devastating, overwhelming condition, which most people don’t seem to understand, but having support through this can make a lot of difference. Are you able to get a break occasionally, so that you can either catch up on some sleep, spend some time with your toddler, or just have some time-out? It is important that you try to do that, especially if you haven’t yet been able to.

I hope that helps, but if you have any further questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to ask,

Glenda

[tammac77]

hi Glenda,

thanks for your response. After a week of not having any fluids from a bottle I switched to soy. It worked for a week and then she got sick again. Plus the constipation returned.

Finally saw the paed yesterday. She is now having Alfare for the cows milk allergy. He said because of the PBS we have to try that before Neocate. But I am hoping this works as he said the Neocate tastes even worse!

Fingers crossed!!

Tamara

[RISA]

Hi Tamara,
Thanks for letting me know. It sounds like you are on the right track, which is great, and whether the formula you are on now is the right one or not, at least you have a direction to head in. (as you say though, hopefully this one will be ok)

Glenda