At first I thought it was the flu. My seven year old son started vomiting in the middle of the night. He complained of stomach pain and vomited several times in a few hours. However, he did not have a fever and was fine when he had to go to school. I convinced myself that it must have been something he ate.

The following month, the same thing happened. After going to bed at night, she began to vomit. She complained of stomach pain. But he was fine the next morning. Once she was done vomiting, she was absolutely fine. I kept thinking it was something I didn’t agree with him.

However, vomiting began to occur more frequently. She also began to complain of stomach pain more frequently. The vomiting happened at least once a week, and always at night. He would skip school and look very pale. But the strange thing was, as soon as he stopped throwing up, his color would come back and he was running around and playing. It didn’t make sense to me. How could he go from being so weak and sick to jumping on the trampoline an hour later?

I tried to find probable cause by researching online. I looked up the symptoms I was having, but didn’t get any definite results. In the town where I live we are not known for having very reliable doctors. It’s been my experience that you have to have an idea of ​​what’s wrong with you before you walk into the doctor’s office. I was trying to get some sort of idea of ​​what I needed to say as we walked in. He was terrified that he had a tumor growing inside him. I was really scared, but I made the appointment for him to see his pediatrician the same day I called.

If you’ve ever taken a child to the doctor when they’re sick, you know something magical happens when you walk into that office. Somehow, all the symptoms of him disappear. They are smiling, laughing, they have energy to burn and it seems that they have nothing to do in the sick room. This is how my son was that day. I always imagine that the doctor doubts everything I say when I explain his symptoms to him. Looking at his smiling face, it’s hard to believe that he was vomiting his heart out just a few hours ago.

After a quick look, the doctor, (No wait. It wasn’t a doctor. It was a physician assistant. We hardly ever see real doctors in this town) Then the physician assistant declares that he has acid reflux. The idea seemed ridiculous to me. Acid reflux? In a seven year old? The diagnosis seemed too simple, I was afraid I was wrong and insisted that we do tests to rule out something more serious. This is my baby. My little. I do not take risks.

So my poor Dillon endured blood tests, X-rays, and even an upper GI. He was afraid that he would have to go through a higher GI. In my mind, I pictured them having to put him to sleep and shoving tubes down his throat. However, that was not what they did at all. Aside from having to drink Barium, the procedure was very easy. But the Barium… you wouldn’t wish that on your worst enemy.

On top GI day, I kept him out of school. Seeing his tiny, tiny body in a hospital gown almost brought tears to my eyes. Seeing him try to be strong and try not to show the nurse and doctor how scared he was made me cry too. This is the same little boy who can’t stand the taste of liquid Tylenol, and here he is with a cup full of Barium in his hand. He was shaking, but smiling. The Doctor explained what they would do and convinced him to drink the Barium which smelled horrible. The Barium would light up the inside of his body so the doctor could see what happened to the Barium once it was inside him.

As Dillon stood in front of an X-ray, he drank the Barium. I watched from behind the Doctor as it happened and was able to see a screen showing an X-ray view of his body. I could see the Barium enter his mouth, go down his throat and reach parts of the body that I could not identify. It was incredible technology. As Dillon slowly drank the Barium, the doctor took still photos from a computer. I was told that these images will help identify any conditions I may have, such as an ulcer, tumor, hernia, scarring, obstruction, or any abnormalities in the gastrointestinal tissue.

Once the standing images were completed, Dillon had to lie down on a different table while more X-rays were taken from above. Once again, I could see the images on the screen. It was amazing to see the liquid move from one place to another. The Doctor made Dillon roll several times on the table. Poor Dillon kept pacing even after the doctor momentarily left the room! No one had bothered to tell him to stop. We had a quick giggle about that.

Once they finished getting X-ray images from all angles, he had to walk across the hall to get regular X-ray images. All he could think about was the radiation he was being exposed to. I was given a heavy apron to protect myself from radiation. The X-ray technician, the doctor and the nurses also used one. But my young son, who weighs only 62 pounds, was exposed the entire time.

I was so relieved to learn that Dillon does not have a tumor, ulcer, or any ailment other than acid reflux. I said a prayer of thanks after hearing that, because I know that not all children (and parents) are lucky enough to receive good news like that, and I was so relieved and grateful.

We were lucky. Dillon received a prescription for Prevacid Solu-Tabs. These are strawberry-flavored tablets that dissolve in the mouth. Dillon is too young to swallow pills, so luckily this option was available. I am very happy to say that since he took his medication, Dillon has not had a single episode of vomiting or stomach pain.

If you think your child may be suffering from acid reflux, you may want to look for these symptoms. These are the symptoms listed under “About:”

• Abdominal pain above the navel
• breast bread
• Burning sensation in the esophagus
• Extreme picky eaters or food refusal
• Eating only a few dicks despite hunger
• Nausea or choking
• Little weight gain or weight loss.
• bad breath
• constant runny nose
• frequent sore throat
• sinus infections
• Breathing problems (such as bronchitis, wheezing, asthma)
• night cough
• Persistent dry cough
• Hoarseness
• Sleeping poorly, waking up frequently
• Frequent ear infections and/or ear congestion
• Excessive salivation or drooling
• Intolerant to pressure in the stomach.

My son did not have most of the symptoms listed. He complained of stomach pain, did not sleep well and vomited a lot at night. However, all of the listed symptoms must be taken into account when his child’s health is at stake.

Acid reflux is what happens when stomach contents back up into the esophagus. In addition to having to take medication, my son also has to take care of his diet. Childhood is when you’re supposed to eat whatever you want, but right now, Dillon is on what I call “The Old Man Diet.” He can’t have caffeine, fatty or fried foods, chocolate, or anything spicy. My son LOVES chocolate, so once we get the reflux of him under control, I allow him to eat it from time to time. And he has been fine. When he asks for food that he can’t have, I remind him of the Barium. That is all that is needed. The Barium snaps him back to reality, and he settles for Starburst or Skittles each time.