Behavior modification in the treatment of rumination.

Rumination is repeated regurgitation without nausea or associated gastrointestinal illness with concomitant weight loss and malnutrition. This paper describes a ruminating infant who was becoming severely malnourished. Hyperalimentation was used to provide necessary nutrition, and a paradigm of aversive behavior modification was instituted. This form of therapy was successful after less than four weeks, with no harmful side effects and no recurrence of the disorder.