Signs and Symptoms and Diagnosis for Infants

Gastroesophageal Reflux (GER) occurs when stomach contents come go into the esophagus (the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach), during or after a meal. Most infants with GER are happy and healthy even though they spit up or vomit. An infant with GER may experience:

• Spitting
• Vomiting
• Coughing
• Irritability
• Poor feeding
• Blood in the stools

GER occurs often in normal infants. More than half of all babies experience reflux in the first 3 months of life. Only a small number of infants have symptoms due to GER. Most infants stop spitting up between the ages of 12 to 18 months.
In a small number of babies, GER may result in symptoms that are concerning. These include problems such as

• Poor growth due to an inability to hold down enough food
• Irritability or feeding refusal due to pain
• Blood loss from acid burning the esophagus
• Breathing problems

Each of these problems can be caused by disorders other than GER. Your health care provider needs to determine if GER is causing your child’s

For more information click on the links below go to the Patients and Parents site and check out the resources on Infant GER below