Zantac?

[rachdent]

Hi there

My five month old son has been on Zantac twice daily for about three weeks and I'm not really sure he's any better or worse. I'm also not sure I should be giving him this so young as I've heard contradictory advice?? What do you think?

[RISA]

Hi Rach,

Trying to deal with reflux in a child can be very stressful and overwhelming, and there isn’t just one right treatment as what works for one may not work for another. It’s a matter of doing what feels right, and trusting your instincts (even though we can start to lose confidence in ourselves and our parenting ability because it can be so hard).

As we try to cope, there are some things that stand out, as it seems to happen for most families, though some are really lucky. One is that most people (family, friends or the general community) don’t seem to understand what its like, and don’t really offer the family enough support. The other thing is that everyone seems to have an opinion or a judgement, even though they may not know what you are going through, and it can get so confusing with everyone telling you something different. Many think they know what reflux is, but it never seems to be that easy. Many people think it just means a baby who occasionally spits up, but it can mean so much more than that!!!

While I’m sure you are getting a lot of different opinions from people, the bottom line is what do YOU and your partner think is right? I’m sure you had very good reasons for starting him on Zantac, and for some babies, no matter what age, medication is the best option. For some babies, it is the ONLY option, no matter what everyone else thinks. If you are concerned about side effects, or anything else about the medication, then it would be best to talk to your doctor or pharmacist about that, as they may be able to put your mind at ease. From what I know (just from talking to lots of other families, and from what our own doctor told me), Zantac is generally a very safe medication which has been used for years on babies. There are very occasionally side effects though, so if you do have concerns, please don’t ignore them.

One of the reasons why you may not have noticed much difference is that often the doctor will prescribe a low dose of medication initially. Perhaps it isn’t a big enough dose for him, and it needs to be increased? It is worth noting too that as he puts on weight, the dose may need to be increased, as it is dependent on weight. Sometimes Zantac isn’t the right medication either, and a lot of babies seem to do better on different medications; ones which may be better at blocking acid production.

My son took Zantac for a month or so, but eventually was prescribed Omeprazole (Losec), which was more effective for him. Even then, the doctors had to try different doses (and add in other medications) before they found ones that seemed most effective. That kind of scenario is common simply because there is no one right answer!

Another perspective to consider, is what are the consequences of not medicating your child? Many people focus on giving medications, and fail to realise that reflux can be a significant condition, with many potential complications. There can be problems as a result of out of control reflux, so you may need to discuss that with your doctor as well.

I think you should do what feels right, and as you haven’t noticed much difference, then perhaps reviewing his treatment with his doctor may be necessary. Does the doctor know you haven’t noticed any change since starting medication?

I hope that helps. Please keep in mind that none of this is your fault, and you are not doing anything wrong. It can be really tough finding the right answers and in the meantime, you can only do your best. The general rule is to try something that you are comfortable with, and that feels like something you want to try, and if it doesn’t work, try something else- but any changes you make, please make them in consultation with your doctor.

Glenda