Hi Alyssa’s Mum,
I’m really pleased to hear you have a supportive doctor, and that the
Zantac has been so effective for your bub. That in itself proves you are on the right track too, which probably helps.
Re “How do you know when your baby has grown out of reflux?”; that’s actually a very good question!! It isn’t always easy to tell, but generally, you may start to consider it if everything seems to be going well, not just whether she vomits or not. Does she continue to display any other signs of reflux such as any feeding or sleeping problems, coughing or wheezing? Does the vomiting she does now seem to bother her? Does she ever look like she is uncomfortable, or in pain? What do your instincts tell you?
Sometimes the signs can change, which can be very confusing, but if you are happy that everything is going well, and has been like that for quite a few weeks or even months, then it may be worth trying her off the Zantac, or reducing it somehow (depending on what the doctor’s preference is). If you aren’t sure, speak with your doctor or Child Health Nurse about it, as I’m sure they’d be able to guide you.
If you do try taking her off her Zantac, and things start to deteriorate, then chances are she hasn’t quite grown out of her reflux. Sometimes, as parents, we need to make sure we are medicating our babies for good reason, so if it doesn’t work, don’t beat yourself up about it. You have simply proved she is on medication for the right reasons, you have more peace of mind about it, and you will be able to try some other time. It isn’t unusual for babies to need medication for quite a long time, and it’s impossible to predict just when they will grow out of their reflux (sorry).
From the information I’ve been given, Zantac is generally a very safe drug, even for babies, and has been used on them for many years now. It has a great track record, and has been on the market far longer than any of the PPIs (e.g. Losec, Zoton, Nexium), though like any drug, there are sometimes side effects. If you are concerned, you should speak with your doctor or pharmacist about it, and you could call the Medicines Line on 1300 888 763 and discuss it with them.
I hope the information helps, and remember to trust your instincts; they sound like they’ve served you well so far,
Glenda
RISA Inc
<a href="http://www.reflux.org.au/">Reflux Infant Support Association</a>
