How is pyloric stenosis diagnosed?
The diagnosis of pyloric stenosis is made when an infant has a history of progressive forceful vomiting. The pyloric valve (opening at the bottom of the stomach that regulates the stomach emptying) becomes bigger over time and blocks the stomach from emptying. The baby begins to lose weight, and may become dehydrated. Dehydrated means the baby is not keeping enough fluid in his body. The baby may show signs of being sleepy or not be as active as usual. The baby may not have had a wet diaper in several hours and the soft spot on the top of his head may be sunken. A physical exam by the doctor sometimes shows an enlarged pyloric valve. You may hear the doctor say that it feels like an olive because that s the way it feels in shape and firmness. Sometimes it is hard to examine the baby if he has a stomach full of breast milk/formula or air and it is necessary to place a small nasogastric (NG) tube. The NG tube is a small plastic tube that goes through the infant s nose or mouth into their
