This is the response from Dr. Phillips regarding Prevacid causing stomach polyps, for those who are interested.
Anne, In response to your question, Jeff sent me the following study review, which comes to this conclusion:
“Two PPIs, omeprazole and lansoprazole, are approved for use in children by the Federal Food and Drug Administration.
When used in adequate doses, PPIs are highly efficacious and safe fortreatment of GERD symptoms and healing of
esophagitis in use up to 3 to 6 months’ duration (omeprazole and lansoprazole) and up to 2 years for maintenance
of remission of GERD (omeprazole). Omeprazole has been shown to be safe and efficacious for up to 10 years of
continuous use in adults, but, to date, there are no published pediatric data beyond 2 years of continuous use.
The proven efficacy and safety of PPIs has dramatically changed the therapeutic landscape for children.”
As far as I can tell from other studies I’ve read, the occurrence of polyps in conjunction with PPI use has been extremely rare and, in those few cases, not severe.
Thanks, Chad Hicks
Reflux Solutions
Product Coordinator
Phone: (573) 884-0672
Fax: (573) 884-0711
Here is the article for your perusal:
The data on children is best evaluated from studies, here is the most recent review:
DECISIONS IN DIAGNOSING AND MANAGING CHRONIC GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE IN CHILDREN
ERIC HASSALL, MBCHB, FRCPC, FACG Journal of Pediatrics 2005;146:3-12
Gastroesophageal reflux(GER)—that is, physiologic reflux—is a highly prevalent condition in childhood. Gastroesophageal
reflux disease (GERD)—that is, reflux with a complication present—is less so. The challenges facing the clinician are to
sort out the physiologic from the pathologic, to decide whether to investigate and/or treat at all, and if so, how to do so.
In infants, GER most commonly manifests as regurgitation, vomiting, or ‘‘spitting up.’’ In a community-based study of
otherwise healthy and thriving infants, these symptoms occurred in up to 67% of infants(1) around age 4 to 5 months, declining
rapidly to 21% by age 6 to 7 months, and to less than 5% by 12 months.(1)
Thus, in the great majority of infants, reflux is ‘‘physiologic,’’ that is, it will be outgrown. Nevertheless, a follow-up study
of this cohort showed that those infants who had had daily or problematic regurgitation were more likely to have feeding problems
within the second year of life, even though their regurgitation had seemingly resolved.(2)
When GERD is severe and/or chronic in children, there is some evidence that it may become a life-long condition.(3,4)
Although many complications of GERD are more prevalent in adults than in children, probably because of the longevity of
pathologic reflux, they do occur in children.(5-8)
For GERD that is severe and/or chronic, the major treatment options are medical treatment with proton pump inhibitors
(PPIs) or antireflux surgery. For many patients, PPI treatment offers advantages over surgery. When given in adequate doses, PPIs can
safely effect relief of GERD symptoms and healing of esophagitis in children. Antireflux surgery may work well in selected
patients, but it carries significant risk of morbidity, including high failure rates, even in the short term. Some postoperative
studies report that more than 60% of patients are back on medical treatment with proton pump inhibitors for recurrence of
GERD symptoms, and a similar percentage have new symptoms that were not present before surgery. Death is uncommon but
does occur and is an unacceptable risk in an otherwise healthy, low-risk individual.
PROTON PUMP INHIBITOR THERAPY
The advent of PPIs has revolutionized the approach to acid-related disorders in adults and children.(9-17) As in adults,
in children, these drugs are highly efficacious and safe for the treatment of GERD-related symptoms and signs, including
the most severe degrees of reflux esophagitis. Several open label treatment studies have found even higher rates of healing
of erosive esophagitis in children compared with studies in adults.
Experience indicates that the most common error in PPI prescribing in children is underdosing. In fact, if the diagnosis
in a child is GERD, and there is poor response to PPI, the likely problem is either that an insufficient dose has been used or that
the patient is not taking the medication.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
Two PPIs, omeprazole and lansoprazole, are approved for use in children by the Federal Food and Drug Administration.
When used in adequate doses, PPIs are highly efficacious and safe fortreatment of GERD symptoms and healing of
esophagitis in use up to 3 to 6 months’ duration (omeprazole and lansoprazole) and up to 2 years for maintenance
of remission of GERD (omeprazole). Omeprazole has been shown to be safe and efficacious for up to 10 years of
continuous use in adults, but, to date, there are no published pediatric data beyond 2 years of continuous use.
The proven efficacy and safety of PPIs has dramatically changed the therapeutic landscape for children.
However, their use requires compliance, and the medication is expensive.
PPIs containing omeprazole: Prilosec, generic omeprazole, Zegerid
PPI containg lansoprazole: Prevacid
.
) and after three doses, he’s starting to return to normal. My GI’s only response was to suggest that I give him Prevacid just at night and the axid during the day. He’s still obsessed with getting him off the “high dose” of Prevacid. 
I hope you can either pursuade him or find a doctor who will listen. Good luck.
