In older kids, doctors usually diagnose reflux by doing a physical exam and hearing about the symptoms. Try to keep track of the foods that seem to bring on symptoms in your child - this information can help the doctor determine what's causing the problem. In younger children and babies, doctors might run these tests to diagnose GER or rule out other problems:
Barium swallow. This is a special X-ray that can show the refluxing of liquid into the esophagus, any irritation in the esophagus, and abnormalities in the upper digestive tract. For the test, your child must swallow a small amount of a chalky liquid (barium). This liquid appears on the X-ray and shows the swallowing process.
24-hour impedance-probe study. This is considered the most accurate way to detect reflux and the number of reflux episodes. A thin, flexible tube is placed through the nose into the esophagus. The tip rests just above the esophageal sphincter to monitor the acid levels in the esophagus and to detect any reflux.
Milk scans. This series of X-ray scans tracks a special liquid as a child swallows it. The scans can show whether the stomach is slow to empty liquids and whether the refluxed liquid is being inhaled into the lungs.
Upper endoscopy. In this test, doctors directly look at the esophagus, stomach, and a portion of the small intestines using a tiny fiber-optic camera. During the procedure, doctors also may biopsy (take a small sample of) the lining of the esophagus to rule out other problems and see whether GER is causing other complications.