Acid Reflux in Children

Book excerpt: A Parent’s Guide to Reflux in Infants, Children & Teens “Meeting Dr. Jamie Koufman completely changed my life. My symptoms of chronic cough and shortness of breath had been diagnosed since my childhood as asthma. Dr. Koufman identified that I had reflux, not asthma, and guided me step by step how to cure it. I have my life back and I owe it all to Dr. Koufman's insight and help.” -Suze Orman, Host of the Suze Orman Show, CNBC This is an important book that will help change how America eats and guide parents to heal our needlessly sick children and adolescents. There are 80 million infants, children and teens in America, and most have unhealthy diets. Every year, tens of millions are misdiagnosed as having asthma, allergies, nasal congestion, ear infections, chronic cough and croup, when the real problem is acid reflux. A bad diet and childhood obesity are both strongly associated with reflux. So, when a child has a respiratory disease and is not getting better with medical treatment, we believe parents should consider that reflux may be the problem. Why? Because it can be fixed! Reflux is the greatest masquerader of our time. It can be the cause of almost any kind of respiratory symptom or disease. Unlike adults who may have obvious reflux symptoms (indigestion and heartburn), children are almost always “silently refluxing,” and silent means that reflux is mysterious, difficult to diagnose and easy to overlook. Kids with reflux rarely complain of heartburn or indigestion. Respiratory reflux is the missing link between bad diet and many symptoms. Today, respiratory reflux is so common it is almost invisible. Pediatricians and medical specialists often diagnose children with asthma, sinusitis or allergy, when what they really have is reflux. Doctors all too frequently prescribe children antacid medications without beneficial effects. The real villain is not vanquished by pills. Most medications won’t do a thing for children’s reflux symptoms and can sometimes cause more harm than good. Reflux is not only uncomfortable and inconvenient, it’s dangerous. If left untreated, reflux can wreak havoc on a child’s ears, nose, throat, airways, lungs and digestive system. Our successful reflux rehabilitation program is a platform for change, with the long-term goal of health maintenance and disease prevention. And, for overweight children, another benefit of this book’s reflux program is that they will lose weight naturally and slowly with a diet that is simply “lean, clean, green and alkaline.” When we fix a child’s reflux, parents’ knowledge translates to significant dietary changes for the entire family. Out go the juice, soda, chocolate milk and other unhealthy choices. When parents understand that too much acid and sugar in the diet, and eating supper too late in the day has a big negative impact on the family’s health, they act. Their children’s well-being is at stake. Once reflux is identified or even suspected, the fix is more in parents’ control than many realize. Acid Reflux in Children is the revolutionary book for parents who want to help their children lead healthy, active lives, free of acid reflux and the many other symptoms this condition can create. Here’s to our future - HEALTHY CHILDREN!