Since I'm one of the MDs on LACTNET, I thought I'd reply to this quesiton.
 Reflux (GER =Gastrointestinal Reflux) is a real clinical entity.  While it
is quite true that virtually all infants have some degree of reflux in early
infancy (the sphincter between the esophagus and stomach just isn't optimal)
and it is therefore a normal state for a human infant, there are a subset of
infants who have megareflux and significant problems from what is an
exaggeration of a normal condition.  These infants may be spitting so much
that their growth is affected, or they have so much stomach acid refluxing
into the esophagus that they are in a state of perpetual heartburn and *very*
uncomfortable.  The diagnosis is made on the basis of a good history and
physical exam, an upper GI study to rule out other underlying GI
abnormalities, and many times a pH probe study to meaasure the amount of time
and degree to which the stomach acid is refluxing into the esophagus.  The
babies with bad reflux do better with treatment.  The trick is, of course, to
distinguish between normal, nonsignificant spitting and reflux significant
enough to require treatment.  Maybe if there are any Peds GI docs on Lactnet,
they'd like to comment on this too.   Linda L. Shaw MD