Infant Reflux and Post Natal Depression (PND) – a personal story
A few things in the past few weeks have prompted me to share this part of my story. The story of my child’s journey with reflux is published elsewhere on this website and I am aware that most of the time our personal stories focus on the child.
This one focuses on me. My daughter had a rough, rough ride. No doubt about it. But the impact on me was also tremendous. Most reflux mums know what I mean.
Erin and Ella’s story
Ella was a very much wanted baby who was our little miracle after assisted conception medication was taken and then a high risk pregnancy. Almost as soon as she was born she was crying and screaming for long hours.
Eustachian Tube Irritation
I have spent much of my working life seeing children only in General Practice. For about 10 + years I have been especially interested in the relationship between distress in early infancy and ear problems. For some years I have been talking of the condition I call Eustachian tube Irritation [ETI], which I believe is a common cause of infant distress and is an early manifestation of ear problems in some infants. I have now seen 500 + infants presenting with distress who I believe have this condition.
Kids reflux – the facts and the stats
Did you know:
1. Reflux affects up to 8% of children and a higher % of infants
2. Some estimates put it as high as 1 in 5 babies
3. It is estimated that 65‐85% of premmie babies suffer with GORD
4. In 2005 there were 259,800 births in Australia
5. Over 34,000 babies are likely to suffer with reflux in Australia
each year