Parents Must Know: Not All Infant Spitting Up Is a Disease

Chairman of the Indonesian Paediatric Society (IDAI), Piprim Basarah Yanuarso, has reminded parents and health workers not to hastily diagnose gumoh (spitting up) in babies as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The condition of gumoh or regurgitation is common because the baby’s digestive system is still developing.

Piprim explained that it is very important to distinguish between normal physiological reflux and GERD, which is a disease. According to him, normal reflux will improve with age, while GERD can cause serious complications.

“We need to differentiate between ordinary reflux and GERD, which is reflux that can cause disturbing complaints, even growth and development disorders or complications. So it is necessary to distinguish between physiological gastroesophageal reflux and GERD, which is already a disease,” said Piprim in an online discussion on Tuesday (23/6).

Piprim highlighted concerns about the widespread over-diagnosis of GERD in infants, which leads to chronic medication. He stressed that not all babies who spit up require intensive medical treatment.

Education from experts, particularly paediatric gastroenterology consultants, is considered crucial so that the public does not misunderstand. Parents are expected to be able to recognise symptoms according to the child’s developmental stage to determine the right time to take the child to a doctor.

Piprim invited all elements, from specialist doctors to parents, to take a proportional approach in addressing the baby’s condition. “This is the importance of education, so we don’t take it lightly, but also don’t over-diagnose,” concluded the paediatrician and cardiology consultant.