HELP!!!! My 13month old spits up/ throws up all day long.?

Question

It doesn't matter what or how much he eats/drinks, he is always throwing up, it stinks like throw up but looks like spit up. He is in the 85% for height and 20% for weight. His Dr doesn't seem worried at all, but I am. I also have to change mine and his outfit 3-4 times a day, (hello laundry). Any ideas i could get him tested for, acid reflux, or I heard someone say maybe his valve isn't fully developed, what does that mean??? Any ideas, thought would be great!!!!!!!

My son is already on a lactose free diet, because his sister and dad are both lactose intolerent, and he has never taken antibiotics. he also didn't really get bad until I stopped breast feeding, at 10 1/2 months. Thanks for all your help, I really appriciate your ideas and thoughts

Answer 1

Call and ask for a referral to a pediatric gastroenterologist. I don't care if the dr. isn't worried. You're worried and I'm worried. That's good enough.

Have you tried a lactose-free diet (no dairy)?

TX Mom

Answer 2

I had the same prob with both my kids (3 and 1). Every doc keep telling me that it was just a virus that they were passing back and forth. I knew better though. I took them both to a gastroenterologist and after a whole bunch of tests he put them both on zantac. Neither has thrown up since and it has been a month. The doc is leaning towards acid reflux but it could also be a disorder or a valve problem. We are still looking into it. My kids were throwing up for months so I know how frustrated and exhausted you must be. I suggest taking him to a gastroenterologist. Good luck, and hang in there.

Answer 3

I would definately have him tested for reflux. My son had that and that's the same thing he did. If your doctor wont check into it more then find another doctor. There are some medicines that can help. My son took zantac and reglan and is still taking the reglan. You could also try adding some rice cereal to his bottle but only if you get the diagnoses of reflux. Start with just 1 tablespoon per bottle and work up until he's doing better. This helps to thicken what he's drinking to help it stay down better. Also avoid anything with acid like most juices and sauces.

Answer 4

I am wondering if your child has a history (even a brief one) of antibiotics which totally disrupt the digestive tract's natural flora and fauna which help to digest the food and turn it into usable enzymes and nutrients and also fatty acids which your liver needs to regulate the production of cholesterol also.
Anyway, it's a little beating around the bush, but I'm wondering if there is that history, maybe his stomach enzymes have been damaged to the point where the stomach's not able to process the food well and is spitting up so regularly (too regularly, right?)

Your child may be TEMPORARILY lactose intolerant or just cow milk protein intolerant right now. My second child had a sensitivity to the dairy in my diet, it seemed, when I was breastfeeding her. She was spitting up a lot. I went to milk-free for a few months and then when I slowly reintroduced her to milk she did just fine and has not stayed lactose intolerant. My female MD at the time told me it was probably not the lactose in the milk that was giving her a problem anyway, but that cow's milk proteins are sometimes difficult to digest until an intestinal tract has had more time to develop. I think she was nearly a year or just over when she went to cow's milk and did just fine.

If you want to get some background first or after on some of my comments, PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINKS LISTED IN MY SOURCES BELOW.

Maybe your doc's not concerned because your child is showing no signs of dehydration because of the spitting up or vomiting.
However, I agree strongly with the previous writer who said if you're worried, that's enough. Follow your instincts and seek out another opinion.
But be careful with medications for small children, which also may be what your doctor is trying to avoid. You should ask more questions maybe like these to find out why (s)he's not concerned. You could also ask him/her what the valve is, maybe they could show you a picture or diagram.
So many stomach and bowel meds (among many others) haven't been clinically tested for use on small children. They don't prescribe them because there is not surety of what type of effect there'd be on a baby. Besides that, meds treat the SYMPTOMS ONLY, not the source of the problem usually.

That's why I would probably look in your yellow pages and ask pharmacists if they know a naturopathic doctor or practitioner whom they could recommend (also look in the yellow pages under homeopath or homeopathic). They work with herbs and less extreme but effective, safe methods of treating the body. They also search for causes to treat and not just the symptoms of a problem.

I say ask a pharmacist because naturopaths are usually in close contact with a trusted pharmacist because pharmacists are educated to know all the effects and contraindications (negative side effects) of different prescription meds and what the med is used for and whether it should be combined with other prescription or nonprescription meds or herbs. That's their only job.

Doctors have the whole other job of seeing people and recording the results of that and don't always have time to be as educated as they should be (and often think they know it "all" anyway) on the drugs they are prescribing to people.

Naturopathic doctors and healers are always treating someone who is on a certain medication or has been and may have some damage from the side effects of it and need to know the root cause of the damage before they can attempt to effectively treat it. They are smart enough to ask a pharmacist to make sure what a drug is really doing or can do to different parts of the body.

Through a naturopathic person, an herbalist, I discovered I am not lactose intolerant (I had bloating, burping, indigestion) I have low stomach acid and enzymes, probably due to my lengthy antibiotic history. She told me simply to start taking in milk products later in the day after my enzymes had time to work themselves up and it's mostly solved. I rarely have it due to milk products now which used to regularly cause me painful bloating and gas and sometimes indigestion or reflux.

Just keep asking question and take notes if you need to until you feel like your child is getting competent quality care, whether the problem goes away or not or whether you want to try "alternative" medicine or stick with your MD or try another or get a referral for a specialist.

The main thing is that you get answers you feel good about and that you don't feel like someone is brushing you off and playing with your child's health. It's important because then you will feel some peace about the treatment of your child's health and well-being, physically, emotionally, spiritually. That will help you feel healthier emotionally I'm sure. And don't forget to tend to your overall health as well. :-) It's hard to manage someone else's life if yours is out of balance. I know from experience. :-)
Much love and positive prayer is coming your direction through The Source, the One True God and Son and Spirit.
Aloha. (Hawai'ian for love, hello, goodbye)

Answer 5

My oldest son did that, and it was a dairy intolerance that caused it. The doctor refused to acknowledge that, but the minute I eliminated dairy from my diet (I was breast feeding) and his, it stopped. I'd try that first, and if nothing changes, at least you've eliminated one possibility. Good luck! (and happy laundry.. :/ hehe)

Answer 6

Is it projectile vomiting? my son did this at a very young age the doctors didn't know what it was. we went to see a specialist and it turned out to be Pyloric stynosis. he had to have surgery to fix it. it is where the muscle at the bottom of the stomach is to strong and won't open to let the food pass threw which caused him to vomit ALOT! it is serious.