Hi All!!!
Long time no post. We’ve returned safely after 4 wonderful months in Costa Rica, settled back at home, and all of us (including Palmer) are on some level already missing our adeventure. There really is too much going on right now to update on everything, but I did want to at least do one on the reflux.
We had weaned Palmer completely from his Prevacid around the end of September 2005. We were so happy to be “completely finished” with the reflux. In January he started having this really growly whine, and he became more and more picky about his eating. We didn’t think much of it…simply attributed it to him being a 2 year old. Well, on a weekend trip the first of March, he was sleeping with us and I watched him sit up in the middle of the night, reflux, and whimper — all the while never waking up. We had brought a box of the Solu-Tabs with us to Costa Rica…just in case…so after consulting with his WONDERFUL pedi back home we put him back on the Prevacid. Withink 5 days the growly whine was gone and his eating picked up. Honestly, we really don’t think that Palmer ever really was over the reflux. It just took from the end of Sept until Jan for the damage to build up enough for him to show visible effects.
After we returned to the states a couple of weeks ago we had an appointment with his pedi. He had done some more research after we contacted him from Costa Rica and said that the latest studies following “infant” GERD found that as much as 20% of kids have not grown out of it by the time they are 5. Some of these are cases of untreated food allergies, other medical conditions, etc. causing the reflux, but others are simply cases of childhood GERD.
I’m not writing this to discourage anyone. Actually, were felt a little better about it when we got this news. Since Palmer does not show any signs of other problems…his growth and development are fine (in fact his height is still basically off the charts — he was 38 1/4 inches tall, and 31.25 pounds when we went in…at 28.5 months old), he has no problems with rashes, ear infections, or any other food allergy indicators, the recommended course of action is to keep him on a “maintenance dose” of Prevacid even up to the age of 5. He’s doing great on 15mg a day, so if we can stay with that we’ll just keep reevaluating. Supposedly studies have found that kids really can “grow out of it” up until around 5 years old. After that it’s considered more of a lifelong problem, and surgery might be more warranted.
Just thought those of you still dealing with the reflux battle in toddlers might like a bit more information. Honestly I don’t know where all of this comes from, except from Palmer’s pedi, but we trust him and his research. As those of you know who went through our battles with Palmer’s reflux know, his pedi did just as much if not more than some specialists do in dealing with the reflux.
Thinking about all of you with new babies, or expecting them. Sorry to hear about the battles some of you are going through. Christine, you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. I hope that everything works out with the twins. I have a good friend who still battles with an eating disorder, so I know how difficult that can be.
Abrazos enormes a todos!
Christine
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: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5740
