Psychogenic vomiting in children: Different trajectories.

The prevalence of eating disorders (ED) in the eastern part of the world is lower than that of Western countries but appears to be increasing. Current research findings about ED in India seem to be moving in two different directions at once. On one hand there is increasing recognition of eating disorders within the Indian population. On the other, a persisting belief that the culture-bound syndrome of eating disorders is alien to India, and non-western cultures shield individuals from developing eating disorders. In a study by Mammen, Russell, and Russell (2007) on the prevalence of eating disorders and psychiatric comorbidity among children and adolescents found that 1.25 % of the sample could be diagnosed having an eating disorder. The commonest form being anorexia nervosa and psychogenic vomitting. Psychogenic vomitting can be defined as vomitting associated with emotional distress and anxiety. The present paper will highlight two case reports of children who presented with symptoms of psychogenic vomitting to the OPD of CNBC hospital, Delhi. The contrasting nature of the symptom initiation-one mimicking a previous serious illness and the other from academic stress will be highlighted. Behavioural and Cognitive interventions such as graded meal, distraction and cognitive restructuring were undertaken. The paper highlights the need to understand the need for tailor made interventions for children with such conditions as there may not always be an underlying psychological conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]