BIRMINGHAM, AL---Imagine being constantly hungry, ready to eat, but every time you try, you can't. It’s called feeding aversion, and it often happens to babies with acid reflux disease. 15-month-old Ellia Holland suffers from acid reflux, gastrointestinal issues, and food allergies. Most days, she refuses to eat.
"They’re hungry and they want to eat but they hurt when they do eat and so sometimes they get where they refuse certain kinds of food or certain textures,” said Dr. Cary Cavender, Ellia’s gastroenterologist.
"You assume you're going to be, 'I can feed my child.’ That's what every mother does. And to not be able to meet that need is so discouraging,” said Aaryn Holland, Ellia's mother.
"I guess for me, I really felt lost because the doctors couldn't seem to figure out what was wrong with her, they didn't know why she kept throwing up, and they didn't know why she wouldn't eat."
For nearly a year, Aaryn was forced to feed her daughter while she slept, but now Ellia is finally able to eat more on her own.
Acid reflux is a disease that can worsen over time, leading to feeding issues, which can eventually cause malnutrition, even stunted growth. Therefore, the earlier you react, the better chances for your child.
"My advice would be to just get help as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more you have a chance of it becoming a long-term feeding issue,” said Holland.
Holland is helping to form a new non-profit organization called the Reflux Rebels, which will help moms across the country deal with these feeding issues.
For more information on Reflux Rebels, go to http://www.refluxrebels.com
