Sahail AshrafWhy in the world of Reflux?!
October 25th 2007 11:28
A newborn undeniably a wonderful gift, as indeed is any child; but when they scream non-stop in obvious pain for hours on end, you start to feel the tether unwind! (In fact, I'm quite surprised I still have hair...) 
After 6 months of this, 23 trips to the emergency room, various GPs and numerous times of being told ‘it’s just colic’, ‘you need to switch to formula because you don’t have enough breast milk’ or ‘there’s nothing wrong, he’s just a baby, I don’t have a magic cure for you’, we have recently been told our son was and still is suffering from various allergies, and the big killer – SILENT REFLUX.
When I went to most doctors, they mistook my 4’11 petite appearance to mean that I was a teenager, and let this effect their judgement (which gives me great sympathy for teen mums, I mean it is hard enough being a parent at the best of times - right?) and my concern for my child’s pain to mean that I simply could not cope with the normal crying process of babies, which led them to the completely erroneous conclusion that our little man was not really in pain.
Although I am by no means an expert on reflux or silent reflux, and I'm not going to include the same list of symptoms featured on almost any parenting website, I can list the symptoms that my son went through. Hopefully it will spare others from experiencing a similar debacle!:
* Arching back coupled with constant high pitched screaming
* Needing to be held upright on shoulder, preferably while walking
* Screaming in pain, whilst still asleep! (then waking up in pain)
* Wanting to feed every hour or so
* Having trouble with wind and the process that creates the poo-ey nappy
After 6 months of this, 23 trips to the emergency room, various GPs and numerous times of being told ‘it’s just colic’, ‘you need to switch to formula because you don’t have enough breast milk’ or ‘there’s nothing wrong, he’s just a baby, I don’t have a magic cure for you’, we have recently been told our son was and still is suffering from various allergies, and the big killer – SILENT REFLUX.
When I went to most doctors, they mistook my 4’11 petite appearance to mean that I was a teenager, and let this effect their judgement (which gives me great sympathy for teen mums, I mean it is hard enough being a parent at the best of times - right?) and my concern for my child’s pain to mean that I simply could not cope with the normal crying process of babies, which led them to the completely erroneous conclusion that our little man was not really in pain.
Although I am by no means an expert on reflux or silent reflux, and I'm not going to include the same list of symptoms featured on almost any parenting website, I can list the symptoms that my son went through. Hopefully it will spare others from experiencing a similar debacle!:
* Arching back coupled with constant high pitched screaming
* Needing to be held upright on shoulder, preferably while walking
* Screaming in pain, whilst still asleep! (then waking up in pain)
* Wanting to feed every hour or so
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Comment by Dexter
Comment by CatherineW
Our new GP! A wonderful little old man who despite all appearances is incredibly sharp witted and EXCELLENT with children.. we'll definately be going to see him more often!
Comment by Timmy
Both parents can become frustrated and short tempered with medical practitioners as well as each other. The thing is to remember what you are trying to do, raise a wonderful beautiful and special child, means that sacrifices will be made along the way.
I have had to learn to not take everything by rote, that medical practitioners can be wrong sometimes and to stand up for what I know is correct. I think a lot of us still have the belief that a western doctor is god, they have spent all this time studying and must have the answers. When in fact the parents are the ones who deal with it every day. If you find yourself in a similar situation; stick to your guns and make sure you get the doctor to understand what is actually happening and don't put up with their attitude, you are showing you are caring by doing the most you can for your child