A Multidisciplinary Approach to Infants With GERD‐Like Symptoms

Objectives: Infants with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)‐like symptoms have been classically defined as having a wide array of symptoms. In these instances, anti‐reflux medications are ineffective and overprescribed. Rather these symptoms are more attributable to dysphagia and unsettledness/colic. To address these conditions at our center, both speech language pathologist (SLP) and/or occupational therapist (OT) have contributed to evaluation. We hypothesized that dysphagia and unsettledness/colic are highly prevalent, yet under recognized in this population. Methods: Full‐term infants with typical development and under 6 months of age (N = 174) were included. Infants with suspected dysphagia and/or evident colic/unsettledness were evaluated by SLP and OT, respectively. Results: GERD‐like symptoms were present in 109 infants with attributes of dysphagia in n = 46, unsettledness/colic in n = 37, and combined in n = 26. Conclusion: A multidisciplinary approach, including SLP and OT, is recommended for the evaluation of infants with GERD‐like symptoms.