Trichobezoar in a child is a rare, alarming condition that can masquerade as gluten intolerance, functional tummy pain, or other common digestive complaints, often delaying correct diagnosis and prompting a cascade of tests that may miss the underlying cause for weeks or even months. In this case, a Newquay mother discovered her daughter’s stomach pains were due to a melon-sized hairball rather than dietary issues, a striking example of trichobezoar in children that left clinicians puzzled before imaging finally clarified the problem, as doctors pieced together clinical, imaging, and family history clues. Doctors identified a gastric bezoar, a classic hairball in the stomach, that obstructed digestion, sapping energy and nutrients over months and prompting repeated hospital visits, cross-referencing gastroenterology notes with nutrition assessments to reach a diagnosis. Bezoar causes anaemia can occur when chronic malabsorption reduces iron uptake and interferes with appetite and growth, a pattern clinicians watched closely in Erin’s case, while care teams discussed surgical options and monitoring. The five-hour surgery to remove the 8.3-inch mass from her stomach at Bristol Children’s Hospital underscored why awareness of such pediatric bezoars matters for timely treatment, family education, and prevention of recurrence.
From an LSI perspective, this case resembles a pediatric bezoar, a hairball lodged in the stomach that can create a gastric obstruction and disrupt nutrition. Other terms such as hairball in stomach or stomach mass help connect readers with related discussions about abdominal masses in children. In clinical discussions, gastric bezoar is used to describe the same phenomenon, with treatment ranging from endoscopic fragmentation to surgical removal depending on size and risk. Raising awareness among families about signs of a growing stomach mass can prompt earlier medical evaluation and prevent long-term anaemia or malnutrition.
Understanding Trichobezoar in a child: A Close Look at Causes and Care
Trichobezoar in a child describes a rare condition where a mass of swallowed hair accumulates in the stomach, forming a hairball that can cause persistent discomfort. In many cases, young patients develop this condition after years of hair-twirling or hair-pulling, which clinicians trace back to underlying habits or anxiety. Early warning signs are easy to miss because initial symptoms resemble common stomach upsets.
Bezoars are not just curiosities; they can lead to anaemia and nutritional problems when digestion is blocked. The phrase bezoar causes anaemia appears in clinical notes to describe the consequences of a digestive blockage, highlighting how a hairball in the stomach can affect blood and nutrient status.
What Is a Gastric Bezoar and How It Forms
A gastric bezoar is a hard mass that forms in the stomach when swallowed materials do not break down as usual. In children, hair fragments can accumulate with digestive juices, forming a trichobezoar within the broader family of gastric bezoars.
Over time, a pediatric bezoar can grow and remain undetected for years, until symptoms force an investigation. This is why clinicians consider a gastric bezoar when persistent abdominal pain does not fit typical digestive disorders.
Signs and Symptoms of a Hairball in the Stomach
Early signals include dull abdominal pain, cramps, a sense of fullness after small meals, and occasional nausea. Some patients describe the sensation of a hairball in the stomach as the mass presses on the stomach lining.
As the hairball grows, weight loss, poor appetite, and fatigue can appear, sometimes accompanied by anaemia from nutrient disruption. Recognizing these signs can prompt timely medical assessment.
The Erin Case: From Gluten Intolerance to a Bezoar
A mother in Newquay, Cornwall, believed Erin’s tummy pains were caused by gluten intolerance, not a physical blockage. Normal tests for food intolerance did not explain the symptoms, leading clinicians to look further.
A Bristol Children’s Hospital surgery revealed an 8.3-inch hairball stuck in Erin’s stomach for years, causing nutritional issues and anaemia. The dramatic finding shifted the diagnosis from perceived gluten sensitivity to a trichobezoar in the stomach.
Diagnosis and Imaging: How Clinicians Uncovered the Hairball
Initially, standard tests returned normal results, which delayed the diagnosis and left the family searching for answers. A clinician’s examination that felt a hard mass prompted imaging to be pursued.
Imaging and lab work ultimately confirmed a gastric bezoar and associated nutritional disruption, guiding the treatment plan. In pediatric cases like this, imaging often reveals the physical blockage before endoscopy or surgery.
Surgical Removal: A Five-Hour Operation to Remove the Bezoar
Surgeons spent about five hours removing the obstruction, extracting the giant hairball from Erin’s stomach. The procedure was meticulous, aimed at minimizing complications and ensuring the stomach could regain function.
Post-operative recovery focused on rehydration, nutrition repletion, and monitoring iron levels to reverse anaemia. Families are counseled on the importance of addressing any ongoing hair-pulling habits to reduce recurrence risk.
Bezoars and Anaemia: How Blockages Affect Nutrition
Obstructive hairballs interfere with digestion, leading to poor nutrient uptake and subsequent anaemia. The clinical note bezoar causes anaemia emphasizes how a single mass can disrupt iron and other essential nutrients.
Management combines restoring iron stores through diet and supplements with careful monitoring of growth and development. Addressing the underlying behaviours that produced the bezoar is also a key part of preventing future episodes.
Why Do Children Develop Hair-Twirling and Trichophagia?
Many children develop hair-twirling as a nervous habit, and some progress to swallowing hair (trichophagia) without fully recognizing the health risks. This pattern can contribute to the formation of a trichobezoar in children.
Understanding these behaviours is essential for prevention, and psychological support or behavioral therapy can help reduce hair-pulling and swallowing. Such interventions are often part of a comprehensive care plan for affected kids.
Pediatric Bezoars: A Rare but Real Condition
Pediatric bezoars are uncommon, yet they appear in gastroenterology cases and deserve attention from parents and clinicians alike. Recognizing a hairball in the stomach early can prevent severe nutritional consequences.
The Erin case highlights how a benign-sounding symptom cluster can mask a significant blockage in a child’s GI tract. Awareness of pediatric bezoars helps families seek timely gastroenterology care.
Preventing Bezoars: Early Detection and Care
Ongoing monitoring for persistent abdominal pain, growth changes, and new eating or repetitive hair-pulling behaviours is essential to catch a bezoar early. Prompt gastroenterology assessment can make a critical difference in outcomes.
If hair-pulling habits are present or dietary issues arise, consult a gastroenterologist promptly to protect against recurrence of a gastric bezoar. Preventive care includes behavioral support, nutrition counseling, and regular checkups to maintain digestive health.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is trichobezoar in children (hairball in the stomach) and how does it form?
A trichobezoar in children is a stomach mass made from swallowed hair (trichophagia) that gradually accumulates, forming a hairball in the stomach. It can grow large, causing abdominal discomfort, fullness, and digestive problems.
What is a gastric bezoar and how can it affect a child?
A gastric bezoar is a mass in the stomach formed from indigestible materials, including hair (trichobezoar). In pediatric patients, it can cause tummy pain, vomiting, weight loss, and, in some cases, anaemia.
Can a bezoar cause anaemia in a pediatric patient?
Yes. A bezoar can interfere with digestion and nutrient absorption, sometimes leading to anaemia in a child, as seen when a large hairball blocks the stomach.
How is trichobezoar in children diagnosed?
Diagnosis typically involves a physical exam, imaging such as ultrasound or CT, and often endoscopy to confirm the presence of a trichobezoar in children. Blood tests may show anaemia or nutritional deficiencies.
What are the treatment options for a pediatric bezoar?
Treatment depends on size. Large trichobezoars or gastric bezoars usually require surgical removal; smaller ones may be removed endoscopically. After removal, addressing hair ingestion (trichophagia) and improving nutrition are important for recovery.
Why might a child with a hairball in the stomach be misdiagnosed as gluten intolerance?
Because symptoms like cramps and stomach upset can resemble gluten intolerance or other conditions, a gastric bezoar might be initially missed. Only imaging or an endoscopic finding of a trichobezoar in children confirms the diagnosis.
What signs should parents watch for that suggest a pediatric bezoar?
Key signs include persistent abdominal pain, vomiting, poor appetite, weight loss, and fatigue from anaemia. If these arise, seek prompt pediatric evaluation for possible pediatric bezoar.
How can caregivers reduce the risk of trichobezoars in children?
Prevention focuses on addressing hair-pulling or trichophagia, avoiding swallowing hair, and ensuring balanced nutrition. Behavioral support or counseling can help, along with medical follow-up if hair ingestion is ongoing.
| Aspect | Details | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Patient | Erin, a young girl from Newquay, Cornwall; daughter of Jodie Collins (administration worker).}]},{ | Symptoms | Tummy pains since November last year; cramps worsened by May; later developed anemia. |
| Initial assessment | Gluten intolerance suspected; tests for common conditions were normal. | ||
| Discovery | Doctors felt a hard mass in Erin’s stomach, believed to be a hairball (trichobezoar). | ||
| Size and duration | Giant hairball about 8.3 inches long, likely present for years. | ||
| Treatment | Five-hour surgery at Bristol Children’s Hospital to remove the blockage. | ||
| Surgical outcome | Removal left Erin with multiple nutritional issues; hair-twirling habit noted since infancy; possible swallowing of hair during sleep. | ||
| Cause/Behavior | Erin has long been a hair twirler; doctors suspected hair ingestion despite not seeing her swallow hair. | ||
| Diagnosis | Final diagnosis: trichobezoar in the stomach. | ||
| Care setting | Surgery and diagnosis occurred at Bristol Children’s Hospital. |
Summary
Trichobezoar in a child: Erin’s case shows how persistent tummy pains in a young patient can be caused by a stomach hairball rather than gluten intolerance. The condition, a trichobezoar, was only discovered after normal tests and careful examination. A giant 8.3-inch hairball was removed in a five-hour operation at Bristol Children’s Hospital, addressing nutritional issues the child faced. Erin has a long hair-twirling habit, and doctors suspected hair ingestion during sleep despite not seeing her swallow hair. This story highlights the importance of considering rare causes like trichobezoar in a child, the role of imaging and surgery in resolving obstruction, and the need for ongoing support for recovery and potential behavioral factors.