| Description |
Regurgitation of stomach contents is normal during the first few months of life, its presentation can
range from gastroesophageal reflux (GER), which is benign, to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
(Heine, 1995) and Sandifer Syndrome (Frankel, 2006) which can be distressing for infants and
disruptive to family routines. Pediatric physical therapists often modify plans of care to account for
reflux and anecdotal reports indicate torticollis often co-exists with reflux. Also, movement
impairments (arching, preference for extension postures, rotation to the right) have been anecdotally
reported by pediatric therapists as coexisting with signs of GERD.
This CE course aims to improve pediatric physical therapist’s knowledge and recognition of pathological forms of reflux such as GERD (Omari, 2002) and Sandifer Syndrome (Cerimagic, 2008) in order to make appropriate referrals for medical evaluation and management and to discuss implications for positioning interventions commonly delivered to infants and for family education and coaching. The presenter will review the anatomy and physiology of the infant's’ GI system and GER, (Omari, 2002, Heine, 2006) and discuss research literature that indicates robust relationships between position and GER with prone and side-lying positions having significant therapeutic value (Loots, 2014, Omari, 2004, Orenstein, 1990, van Wijk, 2007). Pediatric physical therapists are in a unique position to utilize this evidence in our practice to educate and coach families of infants and improve infant comfort during our interventions.
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