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Gastroesophageal reflux in children

Y Vandenplas1

  • 1Div. of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Academic Children's Hospital, Free University of Brussels, Belgium.

Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology. Supplement
|January 1, 1995
PubMed

Insights

Gastroesophageal reflux in infants is common but can be serious. Prokinetic agents offer an effective, safe treatment option for pediatric reflux disease by addressing underlying motility issues.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is highly prevalent in infants, often considered physiological.
  • However, infant GER can lead to significant morbidity and mortality.
  • Optimal management requires balancing under-treatment and over-intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the most effective and safest treatment approach for reflux in children.
  • To advocate for investigations limited to a minimum.
  • To identify treatments with minimal side effects.

Main Methods:

  • Focus on the pathophysiological mechanism of reflux disease in children.
  • Evaluation of prokinetic agents as a treatment modality.
  • Assessment of the side effect profile of prokinetic agents.

Main Results:

  • The primary pathophysiological mechanism in pediatric reflux disease is a motility disorder.
  • Prokinetic agents are indicated for treating this condition.
  • Prokinetic agents demonstrate a very low incidence of side effects.

Conclusions:

  • Prokinetic agents are a suitable treatment for pediatric reflux disease.
  • Their efficacy and favorable safety profile make them advantageous for treating infant reflux.
  • This approach avoids over-investigation and over-treatment.

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