What Is Gastroesophageal Reflux?

What is gastroesophageal reflux?

What is Reflux

Dr. Greene’s Answer:

Normally, when someone swallows, the food travels down the esophagus, a sphincter at the lower end relaxes, and the food is permitted to enter the stomach, where a pool of acid awaits to continue digesting it. The sphincter then closes tight.


In most newborns, the lower esophageal sphincter is relatively lax. Thus, frequent spitting up is common in infants. This is called physiologic reflux. Over time, the lower esophageal sphincter becomes more competent; children eat more solid food; they assume a more upright posture. The spitting up diminishes. In most cases the spitting up resolves without treatment by about 18 months of age. If reflux persists beyond age 2, there is generally not much improvement until at least age 4. Over the next few years, a number of children outgrow the condition, but the closer they get to puberty with reflux, the more likely they are to have reflux as adults — unless corrected.


Dr. Alan Greene


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