Some studies suggest thatīottle-feeding can raise the risk of pyloric stenosis. Although most infants with pyloric stenosis are otherwise healthy, the condition is seen more often in infants born withīottle-feeding. Babies whose mothers smoked can have nearly double the risk of developing pyloric stenosis. Additionally, babies born to mothers who took certainĪntibiotics late in pregnancy may have an increased risk of developing the condition. Whooping cough, for example-have an increased risk of developing pyloric stenosis. Babies given certain antibiotics in the first weeks of life-erythromycin to treat Siblings of children with the condition carry a 30 times greater risk than the general population.Įarly antibiotic use. Sometimes, pyloric stenosis runs in families. Caucasian babies are more likely to develop pyloric stenosis than other races.įamily history. The condition is four times more common in boys than in girls. The cause of pyloric stenosis is unknown, but researchers point to possible risk factors: As with ultrasound, if your baby has pyloric stenosis, the upper GI will show only a very small amount of liquid passing through the pylorus.Īre some babies more likely to get diagnosed with pyloric stenosis than others? In an upper GI, your baby drinks a liquid that lights up on X-ray. Upper gastrointestinal contrast study (or "upper GI"), an X-ray test, is sometimes done. An ultrasound can also show when milk or formula does not pass out of the stomach into the small intestine. Ultrasound can be used to take a picture of the pylorus, which will be thicker and longer than normal. Imaging tests may be ordered to confirm the diagnosis: Your doctor may diagnose pyloric stenosis by examining your baby's tummy to feel the thick pylorus muscle―an olive-shaped mass in the upper belly, which is the abnormal pylorus. See Signs of Dehydrations in Infants & Children for more information.īe sure to talk with your pediatrician right away if your baby is vomiting a lot. They may have trouble gaining weight as they grow, or even lose weight. Babies with pyloric stenosis do not get enough fluids and nutrients from feedings and may become dangerously dehydrated. Because pyloric stenosis prevents what babies eat from reaching the intestines, they may becomeĭehydration and weight loss. After feedings, you may notice waves of contractions ripple across the top of your baby's abdomen, from left to right, as the stomach tries to push food through the pylorus.Ĭonstipation. Babies with pyloric stenosis may be hungry still (or again) after vomiting. Because breastmilk or formula is blocked from passing through the stomach, the baby throws up-sometimes forcefully enough to launch their stomach contents several feet away! The vomiting may gradually get worse as the pylorus muscle thickens. Vomiting after every feeding or only after some feedings. If your baby is experiencing this, your paediatrician may weigh the pros and cons of prescribing a drug that reduces stomach acid to prevent the pain.Signs your baby may have hypertrophic pyloric stenosis Pain or refusing the breast or bottle can indicate the spitting up is painful, which is a sign of gastroesophageal reflux disease or heartburn. So after a few rounds of projectile vomiting in a row, you should proceed to your nearest emergency room.If your child is growing well, taking the breast or bottle without issue and is not arching their back or showing other signs of pain during or after a feed, spitting up is rarely a concern. If that happens just once in a while, it isn’t usually a problem, but if your baby has projectile vomiting after each and every feed, it warrants immediate medical attention to rule out an obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract (such as pyloric stenosis). This would involve the vomit travelling several inches or even feet across the room. The volume of the spit-up doesn’t really matter, but projectile vomit is concerning. Most will stop spitting up frequently by the time they are sitting up-between six and nine months-as gravity keeps the milk in and the stomach muscles are stronger. Most, if not all, babies will spit up once in a while, some until they’re a year old or even later.
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