P1017 AIR SWALLOWING IN NON-DEFICIENT CHILDREN: AN UNDER-DIAGNOSED DISEASE

Abstract

Introduction: Air swallowing is a pathological situation described as a functionnal gastrointestinal disorders. This disease is sometimes diagnosed in deficient rarely in “normal” children. Methods: We reports a retrospective study of children (15 cases) without mental deficiency or neuromuscular disease. Clinical elements and follow up are reported after call of families and doctors. Results: 11 boys and 4 girls, from 2 years to 10 years old, were studied. They consults due to pain or abdominal distension present since more than 3 months. Air swallowing was observed 8 times, 9 children had twitches and 4 language troubles. X rays showed gastric and colic distensions in 12 cases. Three children have combined chiläiditi syndrome. The management requires a psychiatrist, speech therapist and paediatrician and seem sometimes disappointing however the follow up confirm the absence of organic disease. The majority of them (14) had good evolution after an average 28 month evolution. Conclusion: This disease to under-diagnosed entity is described in 1999 in Rome II criteria. A late diagnosis leads to many negative investigations and causes anxiety. Pathological childhood aerophagia is not exceptional and has to be known by surgeons, paediatricians and psychiatrists.