Tantrums: Colic or Acid Reflux

Despite the normalcy associated with tantrums amongst infants, putting up with them can be very taxing for parents. The most important thing that parents need to learn about their infant’s tantrums is that not all of these crying fits are triggered by colic. It may be the biggest reason behind an infant’s incessant crying, but is not the only one. Many new mums have to bear with their baby’s arching back as they go down into lengthy tantrums that last for hours. Naturally, their initial diagnosis is Colic. However, acid reflux has pretty much the same impact on a child.

In order to help mums understand the difference between colic and Acid Reflux, they first need to know the symptoms associated with each of them. Colic is just a well-fed infant crying for no reason. On the other hand, Acid Reflux not just causes the infant to cry, but will also cause him to have trouble eating along with persistent coughing. Acid Reflux can occur because of the premature digestive system of the infant. Holding the child upright after feeding or Antacids are a good way to reduce the acidity. If the problem persists, it is best to consult a doctor immediately and start drug therapy to help ease the pain for the baby and for the parents.

Source:

Kimball Johnson, MD. Acid Reflux and GERD. http://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/reflux-infants-children?page=2