I remember the first time I had a patient come in and tell me that their pediatrician put their infant on Prilosec. I had to clean the wax out of my ears and ask for clarification. Yes–the latest abuse of the pharmaceutical companies had begun in earnest. For me, our bodies digest and then do everything else. It’s absolutely, positively essential for good health. ANY interference with digestion is a very bad idea with long ranging consequences. To use this class of drugs in an adult is bad enough–to push them on scared and concerned parents should be malpractice.
We have seen several studies finding that this class of drugs given to children is massively abused and completely ineffective at fixing the problem. This study confirms this by looking at multiple studies. Bottom line is that they have not been shown to be effective at reducing symptoms of heartburn (GERD) and there are NO safety studies.
So what do we do with an infant who may be having heartburn? If nursing, change mom’s diet. Get rid of common allergens like dairy. Absolutely add probiotics. If formula fed, switch to a hydrolyzed formula like Nutramagen or Alimentum.
When the older child has reflux, consider apple cider vinegar or digestive enzymes. This is almost always a result of a stressed out child. Help them NOW manage the stress in their lives.
Either way, please consider heavily, regardless of the age, the massive consequences of shutting down digestion.
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/127/5/925