Adolescent rumination syndrome.

Adolescent Rumination Syndrome (ARS) is a relatively uncommon disorder, defined by the involuntary regurgitation of recently ingested food from the stomach to the mouth, where it is either expelled or re-swallowed. Although the disorder itself is not life-threatening, it typically has a significant medical and psychosocial impact on the patient and family. There continues to be limited awareness about the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of ARS among clinicians. As such, adolescents presenting with symptoms of ARS often are misdiagnosed and typically undergo avoidable, extensive, invasive, and costly testing. This article seeks to increase awareness and knowledge about ARS, and to provide the clinician with practical guidelines regarding the pathogenesis, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of ARS.

A multimethod assessment of psychosocial functioning and late effects in survivors of childhood cancer and hematopoietic cell transplant.

Previous research in childhood cancer and hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) survivorship has relied on the use of standardized questionnaires that assess symptoms of psychological functioning but do not sufficiently capture the cancer survivorship experience. Study aims are to quantitatively and qualitatively assess the psychosocial functioning of pediatric cancer and HCT survivors seen in a multidisciplinary survivorship clinic, determine survivorship concerns, and assess potential demographic and medical correlates of psychosocial outcomes. Data were collected using a retrospective chart review of a parent-report questionnaire of the child's psychological functioning, responses to a semistructured interview that qualitatively assessed adjustment to life after treatment, and documented medical late effects. Results indicated the majority of survivors had healthy psychological adjustment based upon a parent-report questionnaire. However, nearly 72% of survivors reported 1 or more survivorship concerns during the interview, with the primary concerns being current and future health or physical functioning, including the possibility of cancer recurrence. A content analysis of the interview responses indicated HCT survivors had more school or cognitive functioning concerns compared with survivors who did not have an HCT. Further research should use survivorship-specific measures to better identify survivors at risk and determine the impact of late effects on their quality of life.