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When refluxed material comes all the way up
the esophagus, past the upper esophageal sphincter (UES) at the top of the
esophagus and into the throat it's referred to as Laryngopharyngeal Reflux
or LPR. The throat and back of the nasal passages are particularly
delicate and sensitive to the acidic material. LPR can be more common in
infants and children because of the shorter distance the refluxed material
needs to travel to reach the throat.
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symptoms of lpr
Symptoms of LPR in infants include chronic cough, stridor or noisy
breathing, difficulty breathing, asthma and/or other respiratory problems,
hoarseness, spitting up or vomiting, feeding problems, apneas, ALTE's,
episodes of turning blue, aspiration, and croup. It's important to note
the most common symptom of reflux—spitting or
vomiting—does not need to be present, and many not always exist for LPR to
be present.
complications of LPR
Constant exposure of the throat and other laryngeal structures to acid
can cause long term airway problems, ear infections, hoarseness, and
sinusitis. As well laryngopharyngeal reflux can also cause laryngospasms
which occurs when the vocal cords slam shut to prevent aspiration of
refluxed material into the windpipe (trachea). This can be terrifying for
the child, as well as the parent because when they close to prevent
aspiration, it also prevents air passage and temporarily inhibits
breathing.
How is LPR treated?
LPR is treated the same way regular GER is treated. For more info,
visit the
treatments page
Reviewed By Dave Olson, MD
Fellow, American Academy of Pediatrics
Graduate University of Michigan School of Medicine |
