Infant rumination syndrome: report of a case and review of the literature.

The infant rumination syndrome is an uncommon disorder difficult to differentiate from commoner conditions causing vomiting and weight loss. Its validity has recently been questioned. Its importance is heightened by the availability of newer diagnostic and operative procedures that might be misapplied. An 8-month-old male infant had been regurgitating for two months with increasing inanition. Results of diagnostic tests suggested pylorospasm or gastric pseudo-obstruction syndrome. Medical management failed. A therapeutic trial of special nursing eight hours a day resulted in rapid rehydration, weight gain, and avoidance of surgery. This case exemplifies each of the ten characteristics of the infant rumination syndrome.