Homepage Fertile Mind newsroom

“Hiccups, bad breath and arched back? Your baby could have reflux”

Announcement posted by Fertile Mind 30 Jun 2015

Support association for reflux babies says parents should know symptoms.

                   

PRESS RELEASE

 

Each year 30,000 Australian babies will be diagnosed with gastro-oesophageal reflux, a distressing condition with myriad symptoms ranging from crying and screaming to recurrent ear infections and/or developing a fear of eating.

The full list of symptoms and signs of possible reflux will surprise parents, with more than 30 things to look out for in the under twos (see list below).

A non-profit group that supports parents during this difficult time - the Reflux Infants Support Association (RISA) – is keen to share information with parents, and is doing so with the help of a joint endorsement partnership from three parenting aids - the Milkbar Portable Nursing Pillow and hug-a-bub and manduca baby carrier brands.

RISA president Joanne Matthews says the endorsement partnership will help the association reach out to more parents, many of whom feel isolated and depressed.

“As a mother of two reflux children, my mission, and that of RISA, is to support other parents in the community battling to diagnose and treat this debilitating condition.

“RISA is made up of parents of reflux children helping other parents of reflux children. It’s a very valuable resource for tired, stressed and frustrated parents in our community.

Joanne adds “Breastfeeding and babywearing is encouraged, as breastmilk is easier for reflux babies to digest quickly and keeping babies upright in a baby carrier is helpful.”

The partnership will help provide support and funds to increase the reach of this community group, which since 1982 has offered support services such as a 24 hour online chat room, phone support, newsletters, library service and coffee mornings.

Milkbar designer, Sydney mother Kylie Robinson is proud to play a role in helping further the work of RISA.

“As a mother of three children and a passionate advocate for breastfeeding, I am very motivated to help other mothers enjoy their parenting journey.”

“I designed the Milkbar to raise my baby’s head for correct attachment. I’m pleased that this raised head design makes it a helpful parenting tool for parents of reflux babies.”

Joanne points out that reflux is a normal physiological event – it is termed gastro-oesophageal reflux disease when it results in harm.”

Symptoms in Infants and Children under the age of 2 years include

  • Irritability, excessive crying or screaming
  • Vomiting, posseting or regurgitation
  • Appearing to be in pain
  • Recurrent hiccups
  • ‘Wet’ burp or hiccups
  • Congestion, ‘snuffling’ or appearing to have a cold
  • Bad or sour smelling breath
  • Feeding issues
    - displaying a fear of food or unwillingness to eat
    - pulling away and arching their back
    - crying during or after feeds
    - refusal to feed or only taking a small amount despite being hungry
    - comfort feeding- wanting to feed or suck frequently
  • Sleeping issues
    - catnapping during the day
    - difficulty settling
    - frequent night waking (though some refluxers do sleep well at night)
    - restless or easily disturbed sleep
  • Hoarseness
  • Gulping, Gagging, spluttering
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Respiratory problems e.g. choking, coughing, wheezing or frequent chest infections
  • Weight issues e.g. inadequate weight gain, weight loss or excessive weight gain
  • Frequent red, sore throat, with infection not necessarily a factor
  • Recurrent ear, throat or sinus infections or croup
  • Drooling or excessive salivation
  • Dental erosion/decay
  • Gagging themselves (using their hand/fist/fingers)
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About Reflux Infant Support Association

The Reflux Infant Support Association RISA Inc offers a wide and varied range of services to support families who have babies or children who suffer from gastro-oesophageal reflux.

Some of these support services include:

  • Contact with families who have one or more children who suffer from gastro-oesophageal reflux
  • A “Special Edition eNewsletter” for those families whose child has been diagnosed with gastro-oesophageal reflux.
  • A membership welcome package
  • Ongoing telephone and email support from parents who have experienced reflux with their own child. Contacts are unpaid volunteers who make calls from their own homes.
  • Online RISA parent groups where financial members can post questions, express their frustrations, and get day to day online support from other families who understand what they are going through.
  • 24 hour chat room for our members to use
  • “RISA eNEWS” newsletters are provided to members four times a year. They contain articles such as parent stories, medical updates and management hints.
  • A library service. RISA members are able to borrow from our collection of library books. Details will be provided as part of the membership package
  • Regular management meetings that RISA members are welcome to attend
  • Informal get-togethers amongst members as arranged
  • Coffee mornings are organised upon request where possible. These are friendly get-togethers over morning tea, and are good opportunities to discuss your reflux issues with other “reflux parents”. A RISA contact is present to facilitate discussions. Children are very welcome, but supervision is not provided.
  • Allied health professionals support RISA families by answering some questions about reflux related issues

The Reflux Infants Support Association Inc is a not-for-profit incorporated association registered under the NSW Associations Incorporation Act 2009 and governed by the NSW Associations Incorporation Regulation 2010.