[Acute dilatation of the stomach in children. Apropos of 6 cases].

Six cases of acute gastric dilatation in children are reported. Clinical features of the syndrome are gastric distension, respiratory failure, dehydration and electrolyte disturbances. This potentially lethal pathology is well controlled by elementary therapeutics : gastric fluid suction and rehydration with electrolyte supplementation. Autonomic nervous system seems directly involved in the occurrence of these troubles, but pathophysiology remains unclear. In this way, one should carefully discuss the diagnosis with the aim of precisely discarding any underlying pathology (as in our case n. 6).