Archive for reflux
Understanding BRUEs: Recent study sheds light
Brief resolved unexplained events (BRUEs) are episodes marked by concerning changes in breathing, consciousness, muscle tone, and skin color (cyanosis or paleness). They tend to occur in previously healthy infants and send worried parents racing to the emergency department. However, researchers know little about the risk of persistent symptoms after BRUE hospitalizations. To learn more, ... Read More
Thickened feeds — but not acid-suppressing medications — help treat laryngomalacia in infants
In laryngomalacia, the soft tissues of the larynx fall over the airway opening and partially block it, which can result in stridor, feeding difficulties, and other symptoms. Infants with this condition are frequently treated with acid-suppressing medications, based on the belief that gastroesophageal reflux might worsen the problem. However, there’s little evidence to support the ... Read More
Two recent innovations in aerodigestive care
Feeding disorders are extremely common in pediatrics and are a source of significant stress for families. Because many complex feeding disorders lack treatment options, children tend to receive nutrition by feeding tubes as a result. The Aerodigestive Center at Boston Children’s Hospital has been at the forefront of developing novel therapies for feeding disorders. Two ... Read More
What’s it like to have an endoscopy?
If your child has symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux or celiac disease, has been diagnosed with esophageal atresia, or has another condition that affects their upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract, their clinician may recommend an upper endoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor passes a long, thin, flexible tube with a light on the end through your child’s ... Read More
Study sounds another warning about proton pump inhibitors
A recent study adds to growing concerns about a class of drugs frequently prescribed to suppress stomach acid in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Previous research has linked the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) to an increased risk of various pulmonary and gastrointestinal infections in both adults and children. Patients treated with PPIs ... Read More
Pioneering microbiome findings shed light on aspiration
When children have respiratory infections, clinicians tend to blame gastroesophageal reflux, based on the assumption that bacteria-laden stomach contents rise into the mouth and are then aspirated. As a result, clinicians often recommend a type of anti-reflux surgery called fundoplication to treat these infections. Yet, despite undergoing this procedure, many patients don’t improve. A new ... Read More
Study sounds another warning about proton pump inhibitors
A new study adds to growing concerns about a class of drugs frequently prescribed to suppress stomach acid in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Previous research has linked the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) to an increased risk of various pulmonary and gastrointestinal infections in both adults and children. Patients treated with PPIs ... Read More
Respiratory illness in children with gastroesophageal reflux: Are acid blockers part of the problem?
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), in which stomach acids back up into the esophagus, is increasingly diagnosed in children. One study based on insurance-claims data found that GERD diagnoses in infants more than tripled between 2000 and 2005 (from 3.4 to 12.3 percent). In addition to heartburn and chest pain, GERD has been implicated in cough, wheezing ... Read More