Rumination disorder is an illness that involves repetitive, habitual bringing up of food that might be partly digested. It often occurs effortlessly and painlessly, and is not associated with nausea or disgust. Rumination disorder can affect anyone at any age.
Vomiting in rumination disorder is different to the kind of sickness you might get with a stomach bug, for example – the person won’t appear to feel sick or experience involuntary retching. The person may re-chew and re-swallow the food or just spit it out. People with rumination disorder often do not feel in control of their disorder.
The exact causes of rumination disorder are not known.
Other illnesses can cause similar behaviour to that seen in rumination disorder. In situations like this, the person wouldn’t be given a separate diagnosis of rumination disorder, and the behaviour should be addressed as part of the treatment for the illness that caused it.
The number of people who have rumination disorder is unknown. Rumination disorder can lead to malnutrition, weight loss, dental erosions, and electrolyte disturbances if left untreated. It is therefore very important to contact your doctor as soon as possible if you’re worried about yourself or someone you know, and to ask to be referred to a specialist who can rule out other causes for the behaviour and discuss appropriate treatment.