Rumination Syndrome

Treatment

Treatment of rumination syndrome depends on the presence of other disorders and the age and cognitive ability of the person receiving treatment. A close collaboration among gastroenterologists, pediatricians and psychologists, in addition to education of those seeking care and their family members, is important to a successful outcome.

Behavior therapy

Mayo Clinic has found habit reversal behavior therapy to be very successful in most people with normal intelligence. You are taught to recognize when rumination occurs and to practice diaphragmatic breathing during those times — breathing in and out with the abdominal muscles, keeping the chest motionless. This behavior prevents abdominal contractions and thus, regurgitation.

A large study of children and adolescents treated at Mayo Clinic for rumination syndrome found that symptoms were resolved or improved in more than 80 percent of young people at follow-up about 10 months after treatment.

In people who have mental disabilities, treatment might involve mild aversive training — associating rumination with negative consequences — or other behavioral techniques. In people with coexisting bulimia nervosa, treatment focuses on the eating disorder.

In infants, treatment usually focuses on working with parents or caregivers to change the infants' environment and behavior.

Medication

In people whose frequent rumination is causing acid injury to the esophagus, proton pump inhibitors or H-2 receptor antagonists may be prescribed to protect the lining of the esophagus until behavior therapy reduces the frequency and severity of regurgitation.