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Rumination disorder
Rumination disorder is a condition in which a person keeps bringing up food from the stomach into the mouth (regurgitation) and rechewing the food.
Causes
Rumination disorder most often starts after age 3 months, following a period of normal digestion. It occurs in infants and is rare in children and teenagers. The cause is often unknown. Certain problems, such as lack of stimulation of the infant, neglect, and high-stress family situations, have been linked with the disorder.
Rumination disorder may also occur in adults.
Symptoms
Symptoms include:
- Repeatedly bringing up (regurgitating) food
- Repeatedly rechewing food
Symptoms must go on for at least 1 month to fit the definition of rumination disorder.
People do not appear to be upset, retching, or disgusted when they bring up food. It may appear to cause pleasure.
Exams and Tests
The health care provider must first rule out physical causes, such as hiatal hernia , pyloric stenosis , and gastrointestinal system abnormalities that are present from birth (congenital). These conditions can be mistaken for rumination disorder.
Hiatal hernia
Hiatal hernia is a condition in which part of the stomach extends through an opening of the diaphragm into the chest. The diaphragm is the sheet of ...
Pyloric stenosis
Pyloric stenosis is a narrowing of the pylorus, the opening from the stomach into the small intestine. This article describes the condition in infan...
Rumination disorder can cause malnutrition . The following lab tests can measure how severe the malnutrition is and determine what nutrients need to be increased:
Malnutrition
Malnutrition is the condition that occurs when your body does not get enough nutrients.
-
Blood test for
anemia
Anemia
Anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to body tissues. Different type...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Endocrine - hormone functions
-
Serum
electrolytes
Electrolytes
Electrolytes are minerals in your blood and other body fluids that carry an electric charge. Electrolytes affect how your body functions in many ways...
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Treatment
Rumination disorder is treated with behavioral techniques. One treatment associates bad consequences with rumination and good consequences with more appropriate behavior (mild aversive training).
Other techniques include improving the environment (if there is abuse or neglect) and counseling the parents.
Outlook (Prognosis)
In some cases, rumination disorder will disappear on its own, and the child will go back to eating normally without treatment. In other cases, treatment is needed.
Possible Complications
Complications may include:
-
Failure to thrive
Failure to thrive
Failure to thrive refers to children whose current weight or rate of weight gain is much lower than that of other children of similar age and gender....
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Lowered resistance to disease
- Malnutrition
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Call your provider if your baby appears to be repeatedly spitting up, vomiting , or rechewing food.
Vomiting
Nausea is feeling an urge to vomit. It is often called "being sick to your stomach. "Vomiting or throwing-up is forcing the contents of the stomach ...
Prevention
There is no known prevention. However, normal stimulation and healthy parent-child relationships may help reduce the odds of rumination disorder.
References
Katz ER, Kitts RL, DeMaso DR. Rumination and pica. In: Kliegman RM, Stanton BF, St Geme JW, Schor NF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics . 20th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 23.
Katzman DK, Kearney SA, Becker AE. Feeding and eating disorders. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease . 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 9.
Review Date: 10/27/2015
Reviewed By: Subodh K. Lal, MD, gastroenterologist with Gastrointestinal Specialists of Georgia, Austell, GA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
