ACID REFLUX

I have been busy.  And I have been stressed over Jonathan's health again. 

Lately, he's been drooling a lot.  He's nose, since a while back has been stuffy.  He's also be gagging quite a bit and sometimes out of the blues, he starts retching.

A few days ago, he arched his back twice during feeding time.

My friend's daughter just had a reflux test done 2 days ago.  She's going for surgery to get a feeding button fitted.  She called me to update about the test and she mentioned "heartburn".

After our conversation, I began to wonder if Jonathan is actually having acid reflux or Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).  Read more HERE.

I googled for acid reflux symptoms and found these:

Older infants and children are more likely to have more subtle or 'silent reflux' symptoms, including:

• irritability
• trouble sleeping
• anorexia
• weight loss
• failure to thrive
• arching the back while feeding
• apnea
• painful or difficulty swallowing
• recurrent abdominal pain
• chest pain
• a chronic cough, recurrent pneumonia, or persistent asthma symptoms
• a hoarse voice
• Sandifer syndrome - posturing episodes that are often mistaken for seizures 
• nausea

Jonathan didn't show most of the symptoms up there.  But he has also been waking up in the middle of the night, runny nose, nausea and the arching of his back while feeding.

I'm not certain whether he is having GERD.  But since he had his button done, he also had fundoplication too.  So I'm not sure what's happening at the moment.

So this evening, he suddenly started showing signs of being unwell.  I decided that we should just take him to the doctor's.  Told the GP about my suspicion and he prescribed gastric pills and Domper for stomach pain, to be taken once a day.

I'm going to see how this is going to take effect.  I read that giving too much antacid is not good as well so I asked for the smallest dose first.

Will write to his neuro.  Told Harith that we should get his reflux checked.

All these while, since early this year, the vomitting was more frequent and yet I kept thinking it's because of his blocked nose and drainage that was causing him to retch.

I'm hoping that it will not be reflux problem.  I don't want him to go through surgery again.  But for now, I have to give him his feed, then prop him up for at least 2 hours before I let him lie down again.

I feel for him.  I feel sad that he has to go through the retching episodes again and it's taken me this while to realise that.  I was too absorb in thinking that so long as the milk doesn't come out of his mouth like what they describe about patients with severe reflux, that means he's ok.

This evening, when he heard me call the clinic, he started tearing.  He hates to go there because of the smell of medicine each time he enters the place.

I need to be more sensitive to his needs.  I need to pay more attention to him.  Sometimes to compensate to prevent coughing, he suddenly jerks his body and I will ask him to control himself.  I shouldn't have done this.  I should have helped me in whichever way I can.  I MUST REMEMBER THIS!!!

Lord...continue to give me wisdom to help Jonathan and be more aware of his immediate needs.