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[Children who swallow air]
T Lecine1, L Michaud, F Gottrand
1Unité de gastroentérologie, hépatologie et nutrition, clinique de pédiatrie, hôpital Jeanne-de-Flandre, Lille.
Insights
Pathologic aerophagy, or excessive air swallowing, can cause significant gastrointestinal distress in children. Early recognition of symptoms like abdominal distention and excessive gas is key for timely diagnosis and treatment.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Digestive Health
Background:
- Gas in the gut originates from swallowed air, internal production, and blood diffusion.
- Excessive air swallowing can lead to a condition known as pathologic aerophagy.
Unlabelled:
Gas in the gut derives from swallowed air, intra-luminal production and diffusion from the blood. Excessive swallowed air may cause pathologic aerophagy.
Case Reports:
This report describes four children aged from 3 to 12 years with pathologic aerophagy due to excessive air swallowing. One of them had a "Gas Bloat Syndrome". Clinical presentation was very incongruous. However, the clinical features were characteristic: abdominal distention increasing throughout the day, associated with visible and often audible air swallowing and excessive flatus. The questioning and clinical examination helped for diagnosing. Medical symptomatic treatment was associated with a psychotherapy approach.
Conclusion:
A better recognition of this condition might contribute towards earlier diagnosis.