Diet Tips for Acid Reflux in Children

Acid reflux can be an especially painful disease for children. The burning sensation in the esophagus and stomach is even harder for children to deal with than adults. Prescription medications may help relieve symptoms, but it is also important to know which foods may trigger acid reflux attacks. Creating a diet that will help prevent acid reflux flare-ups can help keep your child healthier and happier.

Small Frequent Meals

It is best to allow children to eat several small meals a day to help prevent acid reflux attacks. Smaller meals are easier to digest than large meals, and the less food that is eaten at each meal the less acid that will be produced. It can also help to have the child to remain in an upright position for at least an hour after each meal. By doing this, there will be less chance of acid from foods coming back up into the esophagus and causing the burning sensation. It is also best not to allow your child to eat heavy meals before bedtime as this can also be a trigger for acid reflux symptoms.

Choose the Right Foods

A variety of foods stimulate the production of acid and these need to always be avoided. They include spicy foods, greasy foods, tomatoes, citrus fruits and even chocolate. Better choices of foods that do not produce acid are milk, breads, pastas, potatoes and foods that are rich in complex carbohydrates. These foods actually bind to stomach acids and can help prevent them from going back into the esophagus. Foods that are high in fat content also trigger more acid reflux and should be avoided as much as possible.

Lose That Extra Weight

If your child is packing a few extra pounds or still hasn't lost all of his baby fat, this could also be a cause of his acid reflux. Both children and adults who are overweight are more likely to have acid reflux disease than those who are of an average weight. Even losing a few pounds can make a tremendous difference in how much they suffer from acid reflux. Getting exercise daily and cutting back on the amount of fat intake in the diet can help them to shed those extra pounds and relieve the symptoms of acid reflux.