Iain was found to have DGE with his milk test back in April. We have never had this addressed prior to now. Our ped asked today how his feeds were and he still only eats about one good meal a day, but will often skip meals entirely. Sometimes we are way lucky and he will eat some crackers in between, but not enough. There are still many days where he will skip food almost entirely. Our ped thinks it is time to address DGE. He had an empyting scan of 24 % at one hour (norm is 50-70%) and then was only 45 % at 2.5 hours. I have seen far worse on this board.

I read the thread covering meds started by Karie and am wondering if we need to even try something as he is eating, just not enough. His meds are being adjusted again this week, now going to 3X per day of zantac with his one dose of prevacid. Should I give that a good go before we try something for DGE? He is at the ped again on the 23rd for a full check up again.

It just seems to me it is a mixed bag whether or not the meds work for DGE.

We tried Erythromycin briefly, but it gave D such a stomach ache -- he wimpered for an hour after meals -- and we weren't even up to the full dose yet. I didn't even ask about anything else as he seems to react to most meds this way. So we're just dealing with it. And I think things have improved somewhat (since I get to "peek" at what's left of the previous meal when I hook up D's tube). I know. Yuck.

Our pediatrician feels that PPI's and H2Blockers cause DGE symptoms or make DGE symptoms worse, (even though this is NOT medically found, as of yet), because of the acid reduction. When there is no/limited acid, the food "hangs" around even longer. So, in fact, when a child already has DGE symptoms, increasing meds, (I think this makes sense), would increase those symptoms.

Sorry if that was confusing. I can re-explain if needed. :oops:

Basically...I'm saying that by increasing Iain's meds, the reflux pain may be lessened, but the DGE may, in fact, get worse.

********Just my opinion based on what my ped told me. ;)

Ooh, that is EXACTLY my theory -- which I presented to our GI last year. He shot it down, said the stomach is just a holding tank, food is digested in the intestines. I still wonder....

But I also think this is on Roni's misconception list. (http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/myths.htm, #10)

Some may disagree Leigh, but I suggest trying some DGE meds, it may be causing the reflux to be worse and it may help in a lot of ways, once we started to treat Elis DGE, I do believe things got some what better. I think you should go for it, my personal opinion though.

Mixed bag of answers indeed. :) I thank you ladies for your opinions as no matter how they differ they give me valuable information and will help me determine whether or not to go for DGE meds and if we do then determine whether or not they are helping or not.

Since Iain was not eating at all in the begining, then eating only a wee bit it was all ignored about DGE as he was not consuming enough for it to really be an issue according to the docs. Now that he is indeed keeping to his pattern of only eating one meal and then skipping the next one or two (sometimes more:shock: ) it has become apparent that he probably needs this addressed. (thank you prevacid for getting him to eat! Sorry, I feel I need to pay frequent homage to the drug!:-D ) I asked the OT, dieticain and the psychologist about his being a "normal" toddler and skipping food as I recall both Curran and Walker surviving on air for some days and they all told me "no". He is not a normal toddler and that we have to get him to eat regularly in order to have him interpret the hunger signals and learn to eat more. Easier said than done, so I wonder if DGE is the holdup. He is not anywhere near as bad as some I have seen on the board, so I was wondering.

Thanks again for the information and opinions. I love this place for that.:-D

Sorry for chiming in a bit late. Like Erin, I think that you should give a DGE med. a try. You won't know if it works for Iain until you do.

Sorry for the late reply- my computer was down. I think it is really importan to treat the DGE. Sarah definitely ate better when we started the erythromycin. It is still a problem for her though and we are considering adding another med. Sometimes I feel like the DGE is causing more of her problems now. She is hardly ever hungry so of course she won't eat. A few times when she puked up her entire meal the following meal went much better so when her stomach is empty she will eat better but I can't wait hours and hours for her stomach to empty to give her the next feed. Anyway I think it would definitely be worth while to try and treat.
Amanda- interesting about the ppis and H2 blockers worsening DGE. I will have to ask my GI. It's really not fair if that is the case. Pain vs. not ever being hungry!!
karie