Feeding disorders in children with gastro-esophageal reflux disease

Abstract

Background: feeding/eating disorders are frequent in pediatric patients and, in some cases, can be associated to an upper digestive motility disorder. Gastro-esophageal reflux is, nowadays, considered a risk factor for the development of feeding/eating disorders. Aim: to verify the occurrence of feeding/eating disorders in patients with Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) determined by the 24-H esophageal pH monitoring evaluation. Method: an analytical observational cross-sectional study of the stomathognatic system and feeding/eating behavior in healthy children and in children with GERD. Results: 25 children (ages 45,68 ± 34,22 months; mean ± SD) with the diagnosis of GERD determined by the 24-H esophageal pH monitoring evaluation and 40 children (ages 60,65 ± 36,07 months; mean ± SD) randomized from their school group. The criteria for the pH monitoring were: vomiting, regurgitation, wheezing and recurrent pneumonia. There was no significant difference in age mean between groups. Children with GERD presented an significantly higher frequency (p<0.05) of feeding/eating problems (F/EP) and of oral motor-sensory disturbances (sucking, chewing and swallowing). Behavioral F/EP was present in 44% of the cases and oral motor-sensory F/EP in 80%. About 64% of the children had a history of feeding/eating complaints, 36% presented an extended feeding/eating time, 68% presented problems in the development of the oral feeding patterns and 60% presented alterations in the nasal breathing pattern. Conclusion: children with GERD presented a higher prevalence of behavioral and stomathognatic feeding/eating problems when compared to healthy children.