Reflux is an extremely common condition in babies. Adults frequently project their own experience onto their babies, but babies' stomachs are very different from those of adults. The acidity of an immature stomach is not nearly comparable to that of an adult's. Consequently, most babies do not experience discomfort when they have reflux problems.

Of course, there are some exceptions. Some babies do experience pain when they reflux. In fact, reflux issues are not necessarily accompanied by vomiting. When the food comes up, the baby simply tenses up her body and grimaces. Excessive crying can certainly occur with reflux, and this condition is sometimes misdiagnosed as colic.

It may sometimes be difficult to differentiate between reflux and colic, but there are a few helpful clues. The discomfort caused by reflux usually reaches its highest intensity within an hour after feeding. Thus, babies with reflux tend to cluster their crying after mealtime. A baby with true colic (without the reflux) is more likely to cry in the late afternoon or at night. Colicky babies cry most often when they are about to fall asleep, and the pattern does not correlate with their feeding schedule.

If you suspect your child might have reflux, get an appointment with your pediatrician. The doctor may prescribe a medication or order additional diagnostic tests to evaluate the reason for crying.