Hiya,

Imogen is now almost 21mths and over the past couple of weeks I have noticed that she is refluxing again *sigh* She can now tell us "mummy sore tummy" and when she brings it up she says "yukky" and wants to go brush her teeth poor chicky.

My questions are: can be food related like when you are breastfeeding? can reflux come and go like this? is it stress/worry related with toddlers?

We are back at the paed tomorrow getting the blood test results (immunology & allergies) but would like to have background information so I semi-know what I am talking about!

Thanks heaps

Catherine (3 1/2) has increased reflux when she's been eating fatty foods (hot chips are her fav!) or too much fruit / tomato based stuff. I don't even go near the spicy foods!
I suppose stress could be a factor - it certainly can be with adults, so why not children?

Hi Kathy
How did the paed. visit go? Reflux can definitely still be food related. Is she on a normal diet? Any sort of stress can also be a factor and this includes illness and tiredness, in my opinion.

Thanks for the replies. The paed was very reassuring and great as ususal. The blood test results have shown that her immune system is normal (last year was very low), she is no longer anaemic but has environment allergies - apparently we won't find out until she is 5 what to? Imogen is still refluxing and like Catherine said I have started paying more attention to what she is eating and agree that after hot chips she refluxes, also after meals like spag bol. Interesting your thoughts on stress & reflux. The paed also told me to warn her that Imogen will get reflux when she is older & pg (just like me!).

Roz - I have always wondered if reflux kids are the worst/fussiest eaters as toddlers? I am wondering if that association with food = pain thing puts them off eating? What are your thoughts? Imogen is incredibly fussy, although not fading away, just a tall slim chickadee

Gem's appetite is only bad when her reflux is. My second child with untreated gastric reflux was a much fussier eater but I believe it was due to anaemia, which was due to a gluten sensitivity - just took somewhat longer to unravel that. Even now she is a tall slim child but then so is my first child who was lovely and plump as a baby. The second one at age ten now eats more than the first does at age 13.
Do you think you can control Imogen's reflux with just watching what she eats and taking note?

I think it could be worth giving it a go. I have also been contemplating taking her to a natropath to see if they can detect any intolerances - have you been down this path?

With the food diary - would you go so far as to weigh everything they eat?

Thanks for your help!

Kathy, I'm presuming that she hasn't had gluten sensitivity screening done. Have a look at www.drgluten.com If you are looking at intolerances/allergies, and have had conventional allergy testing (RAST) this would be the only one I would suggest adding. Skin prick tests might be useful if they haven't been done also. Any other form of testing other than these three is unreliable in my opinion. Unreliable isn't quite the right word but I have concerns as a Christian about the spiritual aspects involved in such practices as kinesiology. I don't have a problem with naturopaths, herbalists etc in general - it comes down to individual practitioners and what they incorporate into their practice. http://www.allergyclinic.co.nz/guides/4.html has information on unproven testing methods. This is just my opinion and I've been honest about why so you can make your own decision. A naturopath may have something to offer in the way of treatment for reflux symptoms if it isn't caused by a food. We have found many products to be useful: probiotics, slippery elm, chammomile...
With a food diary I wouldn't go to the point of weighing foods unless you are concerned about weight gain or are going to ask a dietician to look at it. You won't pick up on any food problems this way unless it is something she only eats occasionally such as the tomato in the bolognaise rather than the wheat/gluten in the pasta.
Good luck with the detective work.