What is a potential outcome of pediatric GERD if left untreated?

In pediatric gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), one of the significant concerns when the condition is left untreated is failure to thrive. This outcome occurs because the reflux can lead to pain, feeding aversion, and inadequate caloric intake, all of which impede a child's growth and development. Infants and young children may struggle with feeding due to discomfort caused by reflux, leading to inadequate nutrition and subsequent weight loss or stagnation in growth.

Untreated GERD can also result in complications such as esophagitis, respiratory issues, and other gastrointestinal disorders, but failure to thrive directly reflects the child's inability to consume the necessary nutrients for healthy growth. Thus, monitoring and managing pediatric GERD is essential to prevent these adverse outcomes, especially regarding nutrition and proper development.

Other choices do not directly correlate with untreated GERD in children. Asthma may be exacerbated by GERD, but it is not a direct outcome of untreated reflux. Chronic kidney disease and peripheral neuropathy have no established connection to untreated pediatric GERD, making failure to thrive the most appropriate answer in this context.