Caleb was born on March 24, 2004, early in the morning, via a
scheduled C-section. He was pronounced happy and healthy and
weighed in at six and one-half pounds. He nursed easily and had a
ravenous appetite, eating heartily, but he vomited often. This
peaceful, easygoing baby assessment lasted a few days.
By the end of the first week, everything started going downhill
fast. Caleb was very fussy and always seemed to be in pain and
distress. If I was lucky, he would sleep for an hour and a half at a
stretch, but then wake up screaming, covered in vomit. At his two-
week checkup, Caleb was weighed and measured, and I was told he
was growing beautifully. He had grown from six and one-half
pounds at birth to nine pounds. I relayed all of the problems Caleb
was having to the doctor, but I was assured it was “just colic and a
little bit of reflux.” When I tried to insist it was more, I was told
there was nothing to worry about because he was gaining weight
beautifully. (By his two-month checkup, he had doubled his birth
weight.)
Of course everything wasn’t fine. Caleb’s condition grew worse.
During feedings he would arch his back and be as stiff as a board.
Caleb kept his legs drawn up to his stomach and his arms clenched
tightly to his sides. Changing, dressing, and bathing him were a
chore due to his stiffness. His condition necessitated a visit to a
gastroenterologist. After taking Caleb’s history, the
gastroenterologist examined him and did an ultrasound of his
abdomen. Based on the findings, he said that Caleb had a severe case
of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).This chapter speaks to three medical conditions that need your baby’s
healthcare provider’s attention. While each condition has its own