Aerophagia in children with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

Aerophagia is a functional disorder associated with air swallowing, which is manifested by belching, abdominal distension and bloating and can carry a pathological character with possible surgical complications. The prevalence of aerophagia among children ranges from 1% to 5%. Children with cognitive deficits and neurological and psychiatric diseases are 4 times more likely to suffer from aerophagia than neurotypical children. In these patients, aerophagia should be considered not as an independent functional disorder, but as a manifestation of neurological and psychiatric pathology (in particular, stereotypic behavior and sensory deficits). Uncontrolled aerophagia in children with autism spectrum disorders requires minimum examination and therapy correction for the underlying disease. This article presents a clinical case of aerophagia in two children with autism spectrum disorder. Key words: aerophagia, bloating, children, cognitive deficits, swallowing disorders, belching, autism spectrum disorder