Reflux / Apnea

I had the same thing with my five year old daughter from about two weeks to 7 months. She never had many of the symptons of reflux. She ate like a champ was a little pudge ball. They told me she had silent reflux. When she would stop breathing though we were scared to death. I would panic when I had to drive her by myself and she was facing backwards. We traveled around with a bulb suction with us to suction her mouth and nose out when she would go through these periods of apnea. She was put on zantac and reglan which calmed the choaking down a bit. She slept at night either on my husband or my chest or in her car seat until she was 6 months old. It was hell! Some tricks I did learn from having this was I never changed her postion soon after her eating. She needed to be upright for a while and burping her often was a big key. And only after talking to a pediatric gastroenterologist from Crozer that he suggested putting cereal in her bottles and letting her sleeping on her belly. He told me that in babies with reflux choaking is a greater risk then SIDS so from then on she slept on her belly. But I wouldn't do any of this until I spoke with a physcian. And my peditritions were no help I had to go to the specialist on my own. They ignored me over my concerns. Feel to email me about any questions you have, I do know how scarey this can be. And just remember you are your childs avocate. If you dont like an answer you get keep looking.

We went through the same thiing with my daughter.Except in happened while we were still in the hospital with her. For the 1st month we barely got any sleep becuase we were so worried about her not breathing. In our case she wasnt breathing at times. The one thing that we got was an elevated pad for her crib and also for her bassinet. We were told she shouldnt lay flat,especially after she nursed. ANother option is to let him sleep in her car seat. We were amazed at the difference once we did that. Good Luck. I know how scary it is.By the way those are signs of reflux. My son also has it and his syptomas are different. He spit up all the time and stuff. Not just normal spit up.

L.

i had a similar problem with my now three year old when she was 3 months old she turned blue and couldn't breath. the did a chest exray and everything was fine but they could see she wasn't breathing right, well luck for us (in a way) we had then a three year old he is now 6 and he was in the hospital the week before for staples in the back of his head and the doctor remembered us so she thought maybe he put something in her mouth and she is choking and they went and checked her eshoghus and it was swollen from reflux so she was in the hospital for a week to treat that and then they put her on the apnea monitor for 5 months but that was for a percaution in cause the episode happened again, those machine are great but they have more false alarms then anything... if you still doubt anything the doctors say have a second opionion take her to a gi doctor your ped should recommended one asap.

see with sky her reflux she didnt hiccup or lose weight, she gained like normal babys do, but she would stop breathing then go into sezours, turn blue, black, go stiff as a board, you couldnt lay her down we had to hold her up all the time, even changing diapers, now that was a trick. but your right some of these drs just want to be rid of you and they should be shot, after all it is us who keeps them in their nice lifestyles.

dont give up, take him to another er, right away, and keep on watching him to make sure he is breathing, no one, not even a dr has the right to play lab rat with your baby, you know what is going with him, make the dr listen, dont quit until you are satified, your child and piece of mind is worth it.

HI. My son has acid reflux. At the age of 2 1/5 nonths he was diagnosed at childrens hospital. It was a hard process to go through. He never had apnea so I really cant help you with that but with the acid reflux they put him on zantac. Added cereal to his bottle. 1 tsp for every 2 oz. He was also 2 months prematurs so he was actually the same age as your son. We also had to prop his bassinet mattress up so that he wasn't lying completly flat. You just put a rolled towel underneath the top of the mattress and then should give him enough elevation. If it is his crib that he sleeps in you can put the bar at an angle and then the mattress stays at the angle but you need to put something under him so that he doesnt slide. I hope everything works out for you and your family and if you dont like what the hospital said take him to another. Mercy has a great peds unit. That is wear my son was born. Congrats on your new addition.

my daughter who is now 4 1/2 had the same issue. Sounds like the same way it happened with her and it was reflux. They can do a 24 hour study to determine if in deed it is this. I believe it was called a milk study and we had it done at Reading Hospital.Is your child on a monitor? If not insist on it. they usually keep them on about 4-5 months and it will give you a peace of mind. Best of luck

I would get a full work-up by his pediatrician and perhaps a second opinion if that comes out negative. You know your child best, and his symptoms as you describe them do not sound normal. Trust that motherly instinct.

My one year old has had reflux her whole life, and she has been anything but content. She has had one miserable year and spent the first four months screaming and spitting up nonstop until she was properly diagnosed and treated. I guess babies with reflux could present differently, but your son sounds nothing like my daughter at his age (terrible sleeper, fussy eater, screaming all day, spitting up all the time, generally mad, etc.). She never had apnea or any other problems breathing. That's just our experience--hope you get some good answers. Good luck.

I can't relate to this personally, but my newphews did this. I would insist on an apnea monitor to give you all peace of mind, plus get a more concrete sense of his breathing patterns.

Get a second opinion!!!!!If your insurance allows it I would take him to another physician. Three of my four kids had reflux and they NEVER did anything like that. Trust your maternal instincts!!!!!

Take him to another ER, or call back the other one and tell them what is going on. There is some protocol for this, see what is written on the bottom of the ER form they sent you home with. AT LEASTplease see your own doctor ASAP, tomorrow if possible. There could be so many problems, the fact that you have to wake him to eat at such a young age is cause for alarm, especially coupled with the breathing issues.

good luck.

UPDATE??? What happened??? I've been worried for your little guy :(

Hi AG - I would recommend going to Children's Hospital of Philly (CHOP). My daughter had sleep apnea (not as bad as your son unless she had a cold/virus - she was also about a year old when it started and she woke herself up to breath). Turns out my daughter needed her tonsils/adenoids removed. Regardless of what that ER says - trust your instinct and take him somewhere else whether it is his pediatrician or CHOP!! Good luck.

S. B

Sounds like you need someone to look at him again...i see you are in Folcroft, if you took him to Fitz or Taylor they don't really have peds areas so I would take him to CHOP or DuPont, it would be worth the trip. If you haven't taken him to again, call your Peds in the morning and ask them to look at him and maybe refer you to a gastro doc at CHOP or DuPont.

Good luck ...I know it's rough now but it will work out soon. Take care!

i am sorry...i cant speak at all from personal experience..but my girlfriend just adopted a baby ... several days after she was born in florida,they had to call paramedics cause the baby stopped breathing..the hospital said it was reflux..it happened several more times and she is now on a monitor..my girlfriend said when she suctions out the babys nose there is curdled milk in there..even though the hospital said she didnt need to change the formula,my girlfriend switched from enfamil to similac...even though the baby is only three weeks old now,she has been having less problems...so perhaps you could change the formula..there are so many out there...my son had reflux(although not at all to the extent your child is dealing with)...my doctor told me not to change his formula...but looking back, i really wish we had...i have a new baby now who was having problems(gas)with similac and we switched her on our own to enfamil...she is having no more problems at all...i cant tell you if its reflux or not, but i would most definitely get another opinion if not more..see a specialist if you need to...i wouldnt be able to not know what was going on...because you cant do whats best for your child if you dont know what is your dealing with...i wish you,your son and your entire family, the very best ...and i hope you get the answers you need soon...take care...R.

My youngest son had severe reflux. He had to be in an upright position at all times or he would choke on what was coming up. Is he spitting up? (more than normal) My first son was a spitty baby so at first I thought my other son was a spitty baby too but his would shoot full force out of his nose and mouth and was so powerful that sometimes he would projectile vomit (but it was his reflux doing it) We would go through a million outfits a day even with bibs on:( If you want more info on my situation or have any questions just email me.