Physical Therapy: an alternative to reflux med?

Majority of my clients that I see for feeding therapy have GER also know as reflux. They are on a variety of reflux medication from Reglan, Prevacid, Prilosec, to Zantac. Some are also on low grade antibiotics to help motility.

I have found in my practice that most children with reflux demonstrate some weakness overall. They are functional in their environment but are not quite where they should be for their age. One could argue that they are weak because of their reflux and lack of nutrition. It is a cycle - overall body weakness, reflux, decrease nutritional weakness, then back to weakness, etc. I noticed that when a good strengthening program is involved, most of my clients have a decrease in reflux symptoms. It is not a normal pathway of feeding therapy but one that I have found helps decrease reflux episodes and has helped with feeding therapy in general be a rewarding experience.