Home Remedies for Acid Reflux

Acid Reflux Nightmare

What are the symptoms of acid reflux?

My son was diagnosed with acid reflux in his first year of life. The doctor reassured me that everything would be alright...eventually, and prescribed Prevacid. Anxious like every new mom, I spent long hours researching how to make my son better with natural cures. 

The symptoms were confusing at first because young children are particularly susceptible to weather changes. Whenever my son developed a cold, the coughing associated with it seemed to exacerbate the acid reflux. At times I was not sure what was causing what; it was a real nightmare, and I felt quite helpless going through it. 

Causes of acid reflux in children

Doctors often use long words to explain simple things. The internet is filled with articles about acid reflux, yet as a mom, I can tell you that everything seemed to make acid reflux worse: weather, diet, even traffic! Countless times my little boy vomited on the car and there was nothing I could do to make him better, except give him a nice bath afterwards and comfort him in my arms. 

Also, whenever there was too much excitement around the house, the vomiting episodes would get worse. 

Changing his diet proved to be a challenge. Because children are picky eaters, no matter how hard I tried to give him foods that would sit well with his stomach, he still wanted to eat whatever he wanted, and not the healthy options available. When the doctor finally gave him a list of foods to avoid, guess what?  Chocolate was first on the list! So that was fun, as you may imagine. 

My son also loved french fries and soda. He loved them so much that one day he told me when he grew up and had children, he would give them all the junk food they wanted. What? In his mind, junk food was a good thing because he liked it so much. Anyway, suffice it to say I am still trying to convince him that parents who love their children do not feed them junk food... 

Another consideration is allergies. In time we discovered my son has certain food allergies, in spite of his doctor's reluctance to accept it. I followed a friend's advise (she is also a doctor) to take my son to an allergist. To my surprise, the allergist explained other doctors tend to dismiss food allergies behind the symptoms of acid reflux. So when we identified the foods that triggered vomiting, my son's health improved.

Home remedies for acid reflux

At one point my aunt started preparing little pills of Aloe Vera from her garden. She would peel the skin off the Aloe Vera, cut tiny little pieces of the gooey plant and wrap them in candy paper. I stored these in the fridge and give one to my son at night with his milk. This home remedy worked out well, and the acid reflux subsided considerably.

Peace around the house also helped, because less excitement meant my son would not run or jump as much, and whatever he ate would have time to settle down in his tummy.

In terms of diet, I try to keep him away from places that serve junk food, challenging as that is when there is a McDonald's on every corner. You know...it's funny how our society condemns the idea of junk food, yet financially encourages the restaurants that serve it.

I have also taken full advantage of the few healthy foods my son enjoys, specifically cantaloupe, cucumbers, rice and beans...

As much as I hate to admit it, the home remedies alone were not enough to make my son better. Prevacid really helped him. Nonetheless, I would recommend it as a last option if everything else fails. And this recommendation is based on my experience as a mom. I am not a doctor.

There is hope

If your son or daughter suffers from acid reflux, please be patient. It is indeed a difficult journey, and I encourage you to keep reading and learning to help your baby get better. Perhaps an idea or two you picked up in this article will make a big difference. Do not settle for a prescription, because it may not be enough. Learn all you can about possible allergies your child may have so you can address those too. Keep working on improving his or her diet to the best of your ability. 

And remember to pray for your child's health. Prayer always helps.