what type of doctor/HCP for a child with reflux?

[caedmyn]

DS3 has reflux.  He refluxes some every day (I can hear it coming up) and occasionally spits up (not vomiting...it really is more like spit-up with but chunks in it since of course he eats real food), but it doesn't seem to be causing any pain or discomfort (I've asked him).  He has a bunch of food intolerances and I know some foods cause refluxing but I've been trying to control those and he's still refluxing, and I feel like I'm at the limit of what I can do for him by myself.  We don't have a regular pediatrician or family doctor here.  So whoever I choose, it won't be someone I'm familiar with personally, just someone I choose based on recommendations of friends.  I could pick a pediatrician, family doctor, nurse practitioner, or osteopath.  We're pretty into alternative medicine but I don't have a lot of confidence in the naturopaths here based on my own experiences with them so I won't choose a naturopath.  What type of HCP would be best for this?

 

Also, if anyone has personal experience with a child with reflux, would like to know what to expect at a doctor's visit for this, and also particularly if anyone's had success in treating a child's reflux with something other than meds.

[Spryte]

GI doc.

 

Allergist has been somewhat helpful, too.

Edited December 26, 2016 by Spryte

[MooCow]

Peds Gastrointestinal dr

[freesia]

Dd had reflux from around 3-5. We saw a pediatric gastroenterologist.  Oddly, I don't remember everything that we did. The doc did give us foods to avoid like tomato, chocolate, onions and some other things.  We certainly did not have her on meds for the whole time, but did for a few months.  They did not make a huge difference.  At one point she had a scope to look at her gastrointestinal tract and see about irritation.  That wasn't right away, though.  The diet was first as were the meds. The crazy thing is that what "cured" her seems to have been a case of the chicken pox.  It is probably a crazy coincidence, but from the time she had the chicken pox, she has only very rarely refluxed (as in went from telling me 5 times a day to only mentioning it once in 2 years. And I do ask occasionally). 

[zoobie]

Check out the forums at infantreflux.org. There are recs for specific doctors. We saw a pediatric GI, but honestly it was a waste of time. He told me to keep doing what I was doing, and he wasn't up to date on the latest research.

[TeenagerMom]

You need to pick a good Pediatrician or Nurse Practitioner that will refer you to a Pediatric GI.  First off, reflux can be severely affected by bowel status, so the first thing they will probably do is look at his elimination habits and recommend a good clean out and some Miralax to keep him regular to see if there is any improvement (for my child who has suffered from reflux for 14 years, when his starts acting up, we know he's backed up).  They may want to use a proton pump inhibitor for a while too.  I am all about  not using medications unnecessarily, but if your child is refluxing frequently, please consider using meds until it is under control because damage to his little esophagus could be occurring.  Over time, consistent damage can turn into Barrett's Esophagus which is irreversible and increases the risk for cancer.

[caedmyn]

Check out the forums at infantreflux.org. There are recs for specific doctors. We saw a pediatric GI, but honestly it was a waste of time. He told me to keep doing what I was doing, and he wasn't up to date on the latest research.

 

I will look at that, thanks. 

[caedmyn]

You need to pick a good Pediatrician or Nurse Practitioner that will refer you to a Pediatric GI.  First off, reflux can be severely affected by bowel status, so the first thing they will probably do is look at his elimination habits and recommend a good clean out and some Miralax to keep him regular to see if there is any improvement (for my child who has suffered from reflux for 14 years, when his starts acting up, we know he's backed up).  They may want to use a proton pump inhibitor for a while too.  I am all about  not using medications unnecessarily, but if your child is refluxing frequently, please consider using meds until it is under control because damage to his little esophagus could be occurring.  Over time, consistent damage can turn into Barrett's Esophagus which is irreversible and increases the risk for cancer.

 

He has never had problems with constipation, and has 2-3 normal-looking/amount stools a day, so I don't think that's a factor.  I'm hoping there will be a way to find out if there's damage occurring before we look at starting meds, because I don't want to use them if there's not actually any damage occurring.

[Carrie12345]

He has never had problems with constipation, and has 2-3 normal-looking/amount stools a day, so I don't think that's a factor.  I'm hoping there will be a way to find out if there's damage occurring before we look at starting meds, because I don't want to use them if there's not actually any damage occurring.

 

I'm not sure how frequent acid contact could be thought to NOT cause damage.  While I can understand being reluctant to try some of the more experimental medications, a basic acid reducer to minimize damage *and* pain would seem desirable.

 

Our ped GI (in a ped specialty hospital) was incredible.  Ds happened to have MSPI, so there were other factors involved as well, but she was terrific through 9+ months of treatment and monitoring.  It was entirely worth the 90 minute each way drive to stick with someone so fantastic.

[Elizabeth 2]

We used our pediatrician and our chiropractor along with a pediatric GI who was versed in unconventional dietary management options. We did use Zantac while the diet changes became habits for our family to reduce symptoms and damage.

[caedmyn]

I'm not sure how frequent acid contact could be thought to NOT cause damage.  While I can understand being reluctant to try some of the more experimental medications, a basic acid reducer to minimize damage *and* pain would seem desirable.

 

Our ped GI (in a ped specialty hospital) was incredible.  Ds happened to have MSPI, so there were other factors involved as well, but she was terrific through 9+ months of treatment and monitoring.  It was entirely worth the 90 minute each way drive to stick with someone so fantastic.

 

Well I would think it would cause damage, but there's not any pain, so that's what makes me wonder if it's causing damage.  

[gardenmom5]

I'd do a gastroenterologist to rule out anything physical.

 

I'd also look at diet.  sugar is a killer for me.

[Lanny]

I would look for a "Board Certified" Gastroenterologist (spelling?).  If you are in/near a large city where there is a Pediatric Hospital, possibly they have a Pediatric Gastroenterologist on their staff.  Second choice would be a "Board Certified" Ear, Nose & Throat" M.D.  Possibly a Pediatric one.   This is something that should be controlled, if possible. Years ago, when we had great medical coverage (like a PPO in the USA) our Ear, Nose and Throat doctor told us about a patient she had. He was a Dentist. He did not smoke, etc.  He had Throat  (?) Cancer. The only cause she could pinpoint was his Reflux.  My Stepson has this and she explained to him about not eating and then lying down, etc.  

[caedmyn]

We're not near a major city.  Looks like there's about 3 ENTs here and 3 GIs, so there's not going to be much of a selection.  And you have to have a referral anyway, at least for the GIs, so I still have to figure out who to take him to first.  I guess whoever's cheapest...either that or I'll try to find an osteopath and see if there could be something like a hiatal hernia causing it.