Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome in Children

Abstract

Cyclic vomiting is considered a variant of migraine, first described by Gee in 1881[1]. Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is a disorder characterized by recurrent, discrete, self-limited episodes of vomiting and is defined by symptom-based criteria and the absence of positive laboratory, radiographic, and endoscopic testing [2]. The attacks of vomiting are interspersed with normal periods. The duration of vomiting episodes is from hours to days, with spontaneous resolution if left untreated. The episodic occurrence of emesis may be precipitated by stress and fatigue. The attacks begin in childhood and often wane in frequency with progression into young and middle adult life [3].The differential diagnoses include idiopathic CVS, gastrointestinal disorders, and extraintestinal disorders, including brain stem neoplasm, abdominal epilepsy, and metabolic disorders.