Rumination disorder is a type of eating disorder in which the affected patient brings up partially digested food, and then chews it again before either swallowing or spitting it out. Originally named “childhood rumination disorder”, this chronic condition commonly affects children 3 to 12 months of age and may cause malnutrition. But while rumination primarily occurs in infancy or childhood, it may also affect adults. In some animals known as ruminants, rumination is a normal part of digestion. However, in humans, this behavior is distinctly abnormal and can be potentially dangerous because the esophagus can be damaged by frequent exposure to stomach acids. Rumination is linked to other eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, and is believed to be related to the sufferer's apprehension or stress after eating a normal meal. For individuals with bulimia or purging compulsions, rumination may occur when the patient is unable to throw up. To date, there is no known cure or case for rumination. In some cases, the patients may simply “grow out of it” (or outgrow the condition), but there is no guarantee the affected patients will do so.

ruminationdisorder