Dyspepsia in Childhood.
(1) A dyspeptic child rarely, and a baby never, complains of indigestion. It is only from the age of ten years that subjective symptoms sometimes exist. It follows, therefore, that dyspepsia in childhood is often hidden, and has to be searched for in order to be diagnosed.-(2) Dyspepsia in children often takes a misleading form, as it produces a general weakness and wasting, often slight fever, and even coughing. It is therefore frequently confused with tuberculosis.-(3) Dyspepsia in children is a functional complaint, and its cure is therefore almost invariably easy and often rapid.-(4) The different digestive actions depending upon one another, it is usually the first which causes dyspepsia in children. In other words, such dyspepsia originates in the stomach.-(5) In more than three-fourths of the cases this gastric trouble consists of a hyperchloracidity. (6) Treatment is as follows: An approved diet, chiefly consisting of milk and farinaceous foods, a two-hours' rest after meals, and the administration of alkalies. A quick progress towards a complete cure is observed, and, in particular, an increase in weight is very rapid. Statistics drawn up from 200 cases show this, and also that such hyperchloracidity can reach high figures even in very young children.
Taillens
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