More than 2 million American kids under the age of 18 are regularly using antacids to tame heartburn and/or indigestion. Antacids are considered safe for regular consumption by minors... but it's hard to overlook the fact that sales have risen sharply (up 56% in recent years), and that the rise coincides with the rise of childhood obesity rates in this country. It begs the question: if kids has easier access to healthier foods, and knew which foods triggered uncomfortable digestive issues, wouldn't that negate the need for shoveling in the chalky tabs of relief?
Well, yes and no. Healthier food choices and heartburn education certainly wouldn't hurt. The natural way to cut out heartburn/acid reflux is to cut fatty foods and caffeine out of the regular diet rotation. Drinking a glass of milk really helps some people when they feel symptoms coming on, others not so much. And probiotics are a huge help (as a formerly pregnant woman with horrible heartburn, I know this from experience), for kids as well as adults, and are available in most health food stores. But of course, some people are genetically predisposed to acid reflux, and regular medication can help, but it only treats the symptoms of the problem - an overproduction of acids that the stomach secretes to break down foods, often in combination with an esophagus that doesn't function properly, allowing the acids to rise up uncontrollably - not the problem itself.
Does your kid complain of indigestion? How do you handle it?
[via ParentDish]
