Rethinking Infant Irritability and Arching

Infants hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) may present with ongoing arching of the back and irritability. NICU teams may be concerned that these symptoms indicate acid gastroesophageal reflux (GER), even in the absence of regurgitation. As symptoms persist, hospital staff and parents may be concerned about infants ’ pain and suffering, and trials of acid suppression may be contemplated. However, there is growing awareness of the potential side effects of acid suppression in young infants1 and empiric therapy is increasingly difficult to justify.
Source: The Journal of Pediatrics - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: The Editors' Perspectives Source Type: research