ABSTRACT
Gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) is the term that describes the
back flow of gastric content into the esophagus, sometimes
reaching even the mouth. It is a common phenomenon and
occurs in otherwise normal individuals several times during
day and night, especially after ingestion of fluids, e.g. soup,
tea, coffee, or milk. Therefore, reflux episodes are more
common in neonates and infants as long as they are
nourished mainly with milk. The typical reflux symptoms
in this age group are regurgitation, spitting up and flaccid
leak out of milk after meals and when asleep. Pathological
reflux defines a situation when the reflux causes symptoms in
the neonate, such as failure to thrive, sleep disturbance, and
obviously pain. The aim of this chapter is to discuss the
normal esophagus in newborns and its function, the typical
symptoms of reflux in this age group, the investigating
procedures, and the conservative and operative therapy.
