Is this normal?

[bekkyboo]

My 8 month old has had reflux since birth, and but weaned off thickened formula at around 6 months. I was told that when he started moving (crawling etc.) It would get better. But it seems to have gotten worse. The last week he has also started to bring up more than just a bit of milk, and it smells more like adult, Is this normal for older reflux babies, or is this completly unrelated.

He doesnt seem as bothered by the relux as he did when he was little, but is there something else i can be doign to help him

[RISA]

Hi Beckyboo,
Thanks for contacting our organisation. Sounds like it’s been ‘interesting’ at home. (love your photo btw)

Although refluxers often seem to get better at the stage when they are either able to sit up or walk, it is really very common that they get worse around the time that they crawl (or are even learning). One of the strategies that is often successful in helping reflux is to keep a child upright as much as possible. If you think about it, when they are crawling, they are spending a lot of their day horizontal again- exactly the opposite of what they have been doing.

It’s good that he doesn’t seem to be as bothered by it, but it may not improve again until he is spending more of the day upright (around the time he is walking- sorry).

If he is getting bothered by it though, perhaps it might be worth trying to thickened formula again? It may help just to offer a spoonful or so of rice cereal before or after a feed instead of- whichever you find most convenient. If it isn’t bothering him, then there may not be any need for you to do anything until it passes, as awful as it is for you. In that case, its more of an issue for you than it is for him- so lots of towels or sheets down, and if you’re lucky, try using a bucket to catch it in if you can pick the times he is going to vomit (believe it or not, some parents have a lot of success with doing that)

Have you noticed any other problems during this time as well? my first child seemed okay once she started solids, but then started to develop a lot of throat and chest infections, which I now know were reflux related (I didn’t realise at the time). Sometimes their symptoms can change from what you are used to seeing, so even though he isn’t as bothered, I just thought I’d let you know that.

Reflux can also flare with other things, which can also be adding to it- things like teething, vaccinations, illnesses, change in weather (hot , humid weather is a common flare), change in routine, or being overtired.

As for the more ‘adult like’ vomit- perhaps that coincides with what he is eating. Has his diet changed in the last few weeks? Added in extra foods that might account for that, or just increased in volume? Unfortunately, as they start to eat more and more solid food, their vomits can change to be more like what you’d expect from an older person. If you don’t think it is related to the food he eats, then perhaps it would be worth getting it checked at the doctors- just because it looks like reflux, doesn’t mean it always is reflux, and they can pick up other things as well.

I hope that helps
Glenda