Whats the best medication for infant silent reflux?

Varies: Silent reflux is a condition in which the infant has gastresophageal reflux with symptoms such as fussiness, coughing or wheezing without obvious reflux signs such as spitting. Usually we use medications like Zantac (ranitidine) or proton pump inhibitors like Prevacid in infants if we need to treat reflux with medication.

Zantac (ranitidine) liquid helps: A baby with silent reflux does not have heartburn pain, nor the vomiting and spitting of reflux, but his stomach contents still comes up to the throat, sometimes causing acid irritation in the voice box or in the lungs. Diagnosis and ongoing follow-up is usually by pediatric gastroenterologists. Zantac (ranitidine) liquid oral medication is often used as a first choice, but other drugs are also available.

Formula Change First: Most babies have some reflux of stomach contents resultin in wet burps. It becomes gastroesophageal reflux disease when the baby is very fussy, refusing feeds, not gaining weight, having hoarseness or apneic spells. The first line of treatment now recommended is a 2 week trial on a non cows milk based formula or if breast fed, eliminate cows milk from mom's diet for 2 weeks.

Eliminate Cows Milk: Gastroesophageal reflux occurs in most babies in the form of wet burps. It becomes gerd when the baby is symptomatic with increased fussiness, failure to gain weight, refusal to feed, apneic spells, or hoarsness of voice. If hydrolyzed protien formula or removal of cows milk from mom's diet does not work, then we should try a proton pump inhibitor (ppi) to decrease stomach acid production.