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The Relationship Between Diet and GERD in
Infants
GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease is a disease that
occurs when there is a movement or reflux of stomach contents
back up into the esophagus. Because there are usually lots of
acids contained in the stomach contents, there tends to be an
inflammation and irritation when this occurs.
There is no specific group of people that can develop GERD, as
adults and children can both suffer from it, even infants. It
does not occur more often among members of a family and is not
related to the occupation, income, race or social status of any
group of people.
The relationship between diet and GERD in infants is one of
great importance, especially since an improper diet is one of
the most aggravating factors in any GERD condition. By eating
certain foods you are adding to the acid levels in your body,
thereby allowing the condition to get worse and the symptoms of
it more intense.
Diet and GERD in infants is particularly important because
infants have a much thinner and more delicate stomach lining
than adults. Therefore they will not only tend to suffer from
much more pain but as well are more likely to have permanent
damage done to their bodies.
Diet and GERD in Infants
When it comes to the topic of diet and GERD in infants, the
most important thing is to understand what foods should be
avoided. Certain foods can aggravate the symptoms associated
with the condition and should not be eaten at all, if
possible.
Orange juice, tomatoes, mashed potatoes, fresh fries, onions,
ground beef, marbled sirloin, buffalo wings, cottage cheese,
spaghetti, and chicken nuggets, all of these are foods that can
aggravate your GERD symptoms and so you should avoid them
completely if you can or at least limit how much you eat of
them and how often.
When it comes to diet and GERD in infants it is also a good
idea to keep a food diary, because this way you can keep track
of what you are feeding the infant and notice whether they are
making any improvement, particularly when you remove the
aggressing foods from their diet.
Exercise is also important here and plays a major role in terms
of your success in dealing with the condition.
If you have an infant suffering from GERD it is important that
you get them in to see the doctor as soon as possible and make
sure that they get appropriate treatment as soon as
possible.
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