Food Rumination Syndrome

Rumination syndrome is a condition in which people repeatedly and unintentionally spit up (regurgitate) undigested or partially digested food from the stomach, rechew it, and then either reswallow it or spit it out. Because the food hasn’t yet been digested, it reportedly tastes normal and isn’t acidic, as vomit is.

 

Cluster Number:
Wiki Number: PW190
Diagnosis: (Food) Rumination Syndrome
US Patients: 10% of institutionalized infant or child mental disabilities
World Patients:
Sex Ratio: B;G+
Age Onset: Age 11, boys; age 14, for girls.
Brain Area: This appears to be involuntary, not consciously caused by the person.
Symptoms: in children and those with cognitive disabilities, regular regurgitation of meals by involuntary contraction of abdominal muscles
Progression: Unlike normal vomit, the process is normal and unforced. Damage to the esophagus and alimentary canal, malnutrition, weight loss
Causes: Undecided.
Medications:
Therapies: For children or limited intelligence, a sour or bitter taste on the tongue is aversion training. Abdominal breathing helps others.

Youtube Video: Living With Rumination (Regurgitation) Disorder

Youtube Video:

Teen Unable to Digest His Food

Amazon or Library (Kindle Only):

A Simple Guide to Rumination Syndrome

Click the book to link or order form Amazon.
This book is “Kindle-Only.”

Support Group: nationaleatingdisorders.org; 800-930-2237

(National Eating Disorders Association)

4 CURRENT ARTICLES
FROM PUBMED

The world-wide medical research
reports chosen for each diagnosis 

Clicking each title opens the
PubMed article’s summary-abstract.

  • The prevalence of rumination syndrome and rumination disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis
    by Jordan J Haworth on April 2, 2024

    CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES: The prevalence of rumination is more common in adults than in children. In adults, rumination is associated with female gender, anxiety, and depression. Future population studies should aim to better understand why this behavior is more common in adults and also compare validated DSM-5 assessments for rumination disorder with Rome criteria for rumination syndrome as prevalence may differ.

  • Prevalence and Etiology of Eating Disorders in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Scoping Review
    by Sophie Lalonde-Bester on February 26, 2024

    Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine-metabolic disorder affecting females across the lifespan. Eating disorders (EDs) are psychiatric conditions that may impact the development of PCOS and comorbidities including obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes. The aim of this scoping review was to determine the prevalence of EDs and disordered eating, and to review the etiology of EDs in PCOS. The review was conducted using search terms addressing PCOS, EDs, and...

  • Questionnaire for diagnosis and response to therapy in rumination syndrome
    by Sydney F Pomenti on February 18, 2024

    Rumination is a behavioral disorder characterized by regurgitation of food without retching. It is diagnosed clinically by the Rome Criteria and treated primarily by diaphragmatic breathing. Despite diagnosis and follow-up being based on symptomatic responses to therapies, there are no published or validated questionnaires. To address this care-gap, a rumination questionnaire was developed and reviewed by two expert esophagologists and five patients diagnosed with rumination. Ultimately, an...

  • Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder differs from anorexia nervosa in delay discounting
    by Casey M Stern on January 30, 2024

    CONCLUSION: Our findings provide a first indication of distinct cognitive profiles among the two primary restrictive eating disorders. The present results, together with future research spanning additional cognitive domains and including larger and more diverse samples of individuals with ARFID (vs. AN), will contribute to identifying maintenance mechanisms that are unique to each disorder as well as contribute to the optimization and tailoring of treatment strategies across the spectrum of...