Harmful Acid Reflux Drugs Approved For Babies

In 2011, we first told you about infants, some less than a year old, who are being diagnosed with acid reflux or gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD), simply because they’ve been crying and spitting up… like most babies do.

What’s most disturbing is that these babies are often treated with acid-suppressing drugs – proton pump inhibitors (PPIs).

Overkill with PPIs

Several years ago Dr. Eric Hassall, a paediatric gastroenterologist at Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation in San Francisco, published a paper warning against giving PPIs to babies. He said it can increase their risk of pneumonia and stomach problems.

Other experts also chimed in at the time, pointing out that these drugs can lead to infections, reduced immunity, and long-term problems digesting food.

But it seems that no one was listening – least of all medical authorities and regulators.

Just last year the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved one of these acid reflux drugs for children, which means that paediatricians everywhere keep on giving PPIs to babies without considering the long-term side effects they can cause.

This begs the question: How on earth did the mainstream reach the point where they are now medicating infants with a drug that is taken by adults?

Worst still is that experienced paediatricians (and anyone with a bit of common sense) should know that in the vast majority of cases, no medication is needed at all: Babies sometimes cry inexplicably and they spit up. It happens. It passes.

In fact, if the unexplained crying continues, then it’s possible that your baby has colic, not indigestion or acid reflux… and trust me, PPI drugs will do nothing for colic.

Of course, watching your baby cry for hours on end will make you want to try almost anything to ease his or her suffering. Especially if you’re a first-time parent.

But there are other remedies to try. Remedies that don’t involve dangerous drugs and long-term side effects.

Dr. Hassall and other doctors suggest these tips:

• For breastfed infants, mothers should try tweaking their own diets, eliminating caffeine, chocolate, and garlic to see if that helps.
• Also, hold the baby in a more upright position during feedings.
• To calm a crying infant try taking them on a car ride or do some rhythmic rocking.
• For babies taking any kind of formula that contains cow’s milk protein, try eliminating that for a time to see if they have a sensitivity to it.

Then there are also two very effective, old-fashioned “cures” for colic. They might be the hardest ones to tolerate but they work pretty well, according to Dr. Hassall: patience and time.

So, no matter what you do, steer clear from giving your infant or child acid reflux drugs. We already know what these PPI drugs can do to adults. The list of side effects includes bone fractures, extreme acid rebound, severe magnesium deficiencies, and a persistent, dangerous infection that can cause watery diarrhoea 15 times a day.

And there’s no evidence to suggest they can’t cause the very same adverse reactions in babies and children who take them.

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Bear in mind all the material in this email alert is provided for information purposes only. We are not addressing anyone’s personal situation. Please consult with your own physician before acting on any recommendations contained herein.

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Sources:

“Proton pump inhibitors do not ease crying, fussing in infants” Diedtra Henderson, January 6, 2015, Medscape News, medscape.com

“Too many babies receive acid reflux meds, says pediatrician” Mikaela Conley, ABC News, abcnews.go.com