Hello C. -
Acid reflux is often the result of incompatability with one's diet.
Eliminate acidic foods and focus on alkalinizing foods. Here is the info from a handout we used in our clinic:
"An alkaline diet is composed of approximately 75-80% alkaline foods and 20-25% acid foods.
ALKALINE FOODS (Higher alkaline are better)
-Vegetables –
High alkaline: wheat grass, barley grass, alfalfa spouts, broccoli sprouts, other types of sprouts, cucumber, kale, parsley, sea vegetables.
Moderate alkaline: avocado, arugula, beets, bell peppers, broccoli, cabbage, celery, collard, endive, garlic, ginger, green beans, lettuce, mustard greens, okra, onion, spinach, tomato.
Slightly alkaline: artichoke, asparagus, brussels sprouts, carrot, cauliflower, kohlrabi, leeks, peas, rhubarb, rutabaga, turnip, watercress, zucchini
-Fruit -- Slightly alkaline: coconut, grapefruit, lemon, lime
-Beans and legumes –
Moderate alkaline: lima beans, soy beans, white beans.
Slightly alkaline: Lentils, tofu.
-Nuts, seeds, oils –
High alkaline: pumkin seeds.
Slightly alkaline: almond, borage oil, coconut oil, cod liver oil, evening primrose oil, fish oil, flaxseed oil, olive oil, sesame seeds.
-Grains -- buckwheat, quinoa, spelt
-Condiments -- Moderate alkaline: cayenne, red chili pepper, sea salt, stevia. Most herbs and spices are somewhat alkaline.
-Dairy -- Slightly alkaline: goat milk
ACIDIFYING FOODS (Lower acid are better. Most acidic are worst)
-Dairy and Dairy Substitutes –
Slightly acid: cow's milk, rice milk, soymilk.
Most acid: cheese (including cottage cheese, hard cheese, aged cheese, and goat cheese), ice cream, soy cheese, whey protein powder.
-Animal meat –
Moderate acid: wild fish.
Most acid: beef, chicken, duck, eggs, farmed fish, gelatin, lobster, organ meat, pheasant, pork, poultry, seafood, squid, turkey, veal, venison.
-Grains –
Slightly acid: amaranth, millet.
Moderate acid: oats, rice (brown rice, white rice), rye, wheat.
Most acid: barley, corn, rye.
-Beans and legumes -- Slightly acid: black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans.
-Vegetables -- Most acidic: mushrooms, potatoes.
-Fruit -- Slightly acid: cantaloupe, dates (not dried), nectarines.
Moderate acid: apple, apricot, banana, all berries, figs (fresh), grape, honeydew, mango, orange, papaya, peach, persimmon, pineapple, tangerine, watermelon.
Most acid: dried fruit.
-Nuts, Seeds, and Oils –
Slightly acid: brazil nuts, flaxseeds, hazelnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil.
Moderate acid: butter, ghee, corn oil, margarine, walnuts.
Most acid: cashews, peanuts, pistachios.
-Condiments –
Moderate acid: ketchup, mayonnaise, table salt.
Most acid: jam, mustard, soy sauce, vinegar, white sugar, aspartame, molasses, sugar cane, barley malt syrup, honey, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, yeast."
Chewable acidophilus is great, but usually most of the bacterium in the tablet has already died, so making your own kefir or liquid acidophilus is far superior. Order the "Kefir Starter" or "Essential Duo" starter packets from Body Ecology www.bodyecology.com and follow their instructions. It is so simple - fill a 1/2 gallon glass jar with rice, soy or almond milk and pour in a packet. Let sit on your cupboard until you can see it curdling, then put it in the frig and drink a glass a day or with each meal. When there is only 1/2-1 cup left, refill it with your milk of choice and let sit on the cupboard again until curdling. If you watch it closely, you can get one packet to make several gallons of beverage before having to start with a new culture packet.
Of these, I highly recommend the Kefir as it has four strains of beneficial bacteria rather than the two in the Essential Duo. Most acidophilus tablets have mutliple strains of acidophilus bacterium, but kefir has four distinct species of bacterium.
The other thing I would recommend is some craniosacral work with a very good craniosacral therapist. Ask naturopaths in your area for recommendations of a therapist they refer to. It will be $80-120 per session, but well worth it in terms of recovering your child's overall health.
If you need any clarification or more info, feel free to contact me.
Be well-
D.