Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Aerophagia

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Pediatric Neurogastroenterology

  • 1506 Accesses

Abstract

Aerophagia is a functional gastrointestinal disorder which is commonly diagnosed in children of any age. Its severity may range from a mere nuisance to an embarrassing and debilitating condition. The pathophysiology of this condition is incompletely understood and may involve both excessive air swallowing and decreased ability to belch. Aerophagia is usually diagnosed on clinical grounds, based on characteristic symptoms in individuals presenting with recognizable excessive air swallowing resulting in increased intestinal gas. Diagnostic criteria for aerophagia have been proposed by the pediatric Rome committees and continued to be refined. Phenotypic variability and symptom overlap with other organic diseases often make the diagnosis and management of aerophagia in children a challenge. Multichannel intraesophageal impedance testing in selected cases may aid in establishing the diagnosis. There is no well-established treatment for childhood aerophagia and in the majority of cases the condition is managed supportively. Education and effective reassurance are often sufficient for the management of the milder cases. In more severe instances, behavioral therapy, psychotherapy, and benzodiazepines may be beneficial.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Devanarayana NM, Rajindrajith S. Aerophagia among Sri Lankan schoolchildren: epidemiological patterns and symptom characteristics. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2012;54:516–20.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Devanarayana NM, Jayawickrama N, Gulegoda IC, Rajindrajith S. PP-2 Abnormal personality traits in children with aerophagia. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2015;61:520–1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Rajindrajith S, Silva RL, Devanarayana NM. PP-17 Aerophagia in children is associated with emotional ill treatment. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2015;61:527.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Uc A, Hyman PE, Walker LS. Functional gastrointestinal disorders in African American children in primary care. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2006;42:270–4.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. Caplan A, Walker L, Rasquin A. Validation of the pediatric Rome II criteria for functional gastrointestinal disorders using the questionnaire on pediatric gastrointestinal symptoms. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2005;41:305–16.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Pouderoux P, Ergun GA, Lin S, Kahrilas PJ. Esophageal bolus transit imaged by ultrafast computerized tomography. Gastroenterology. 1996;110:1422–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Bredenoord AJ, Weusten BL, Timmer R, Smout AJ. Air swallowing, belching, and reflux in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease. Am J Gastroenterol. 2006;101:1721–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Hwang JB, Kim JS, Ahn BH, Jung CH, Lee YH, Kam S. Clonazepam treatment of pathologic childhood aerophagia with psychological stresses. J Korean Med Sci. 2007;22:205–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Silva AC, Aprile LR, Dantas RO. Effect of gum chewing on air swallowing, saliva swallowing and belching. Arq Gastroenterol. 2015;52:190–4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Penagini R, Carmagnola S, Cantu P, Allocca M, Bianchi PA. Mechanoreceptors of the proximal stomach: role in triggering transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxation. Gastroenterology. 2004;126:49–56.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Straathof JW, Ringers J, Lamers CB, Masclee AA. Provocation of transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations by gastric distension with air. Am J Gastroenterol. 2001;96:2317–23.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Bredenoord AJ, Weusten BL, Sifrim D, Timmer R, Smout AJ. Aerophagia, gastric, and supragastric belching: a study using intraluminal electrical impedance monitoring. Gut. 2004;53:1561–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  13. Fernandez S, Aspirot A, Kerzner B, Friedlander J, Di Lorenzo C. Do some adolescents with rumination syndrome have “supragastric vomiting”? J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2010;50:103–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Bredenoord AJ. Excessive belching and aerophagia: two different disorders. Dis Esophagus. 2010;23:347–52.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Orenstein SR, Di Lorenzo C. Postfundoplication complications in children. Curr Treat Options Gastroenterol. 2001;4(5):441–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Hyams JS, Di Lorenzo C, Saps M, Shulman RJ, Staiano A, van Tilburg M. Functional Disorders: Children and Adolescents. Gastroenterology. 2016; in press.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Hwang JB, Choi WJ, Kim JS, et al. Clinical features of pathologic childhood aerophagia: early recognition and essential diagnostic criteria. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2005;41:612–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Halb C, Pomerleau M, Faure C. Multichannel intraesophageal impedance pattern of children with aerophagia. Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2014;26:1010–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Trillis Jr F, Gauderer MW, Ponsky JL, et al. Transverse colon volvulus in a child with pathologic aerophagia. J Pediatr Surg. 1986;21:966–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Basaran UN, Inan M, Aksu B, et al. Colon perforation due to pathologic aerophagia in an intellectually disabled child. J Paediatr Child Health. 2007;43:710–2.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Chitkara DK, Bredenoord AJ, Wang M, Rucker MJ, Talley NJ. Aerophagia in children: characterization of a functional gastrointestinal disorder. Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2005;17:518–22.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Loening-Baucke V, Swidsinski A. Observational study of children with aerophagia. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2008;47:664–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Bredenoord AJ, Smout AJ. Physiologic and pathologic belching. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2007;5:772–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Bredenoord AJ, Weusten BL, Timmer R, Smout AJ. Psychological factors affect the frequency of belching in patients with aerophagia. Am J Gastroenterol. 2006;101:2777–81.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Calloway SP, Fonagy P, Pounder RE, Morgan MJ. Behavioural techniques in the management of aerophagia in patients with hiatus hernia. J Psychosom Res. 1983;27:499–502.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Garcia D, Starin S, Churchill RM. Treating aerophagia with contingent physical guidance. J Appl Behav Anal. 2001;34:89–92.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. Lee GH, Jang HJ, Hwang JB. Clonazepam treatment of pathologic aerophagia in children with mental retardation. Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr. 2014;17:209–13.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  28. Blondeau K, Boecxstaens V, Rommel N, Farré R, Depeyper S, Holvoet L, et al. Baclofen improves symptoms and reduces postprandial flow events in patients with rumination and supragastric belching. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2012;10:379–84.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Fukuzawa H, Urushihara N, Fukumoto K, Sugiyama A, Mitsunaga M, Watanabe K, et al. Esophagogastric separation and abdominal esophagostomy via jejunal interposition: a new operation for extreme forms of pathologic aerophagia. J Pediatr Surg. 2011;46:2035–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, 700 Childrens Dr, Columbus, OH, 43205, USA

    Carlo Di Lorenzo M.D.

Authors
  1. Carlo Di Lorenzo M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carlo Di Lorenzo M.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Christophe Faure

  2. Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom

    Nikhil Thapar

  3. Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology, and Nutrition, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA

    Carlo Di Lorenzo

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Di Lorenzo, C. (2017). Aerophagia. In: Faure, C., Thapar, N., Di Lorenzo, C. (eds) Pediatric Neurogastroenterology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43268-7_40

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43268-7_40

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-43266-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-43268-7

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation