About three percent of babies and younger children are taking medicine for GERD. About two percent of older children. This makes about one million children taking GERD medications and two million taking medications for some GI condition.

Researchers do now know if this is because more children are being diagnosed or if a factor like obesity could be responsible.

Several news sources quoted the story. These are two of the longer articles:

Philadelpia Inquirer
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/world_us/20071005_Child_use_of_drugs_for_reflux_increases.html

Associated Press on Yahoo.com
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071004/ap_on_he_me/heartburn_drugs_kids_6