Sensory Processing Difficulties in Children With Eosinophilic Esophagitis.

Background: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic inflammatory esophageal disease associated with dysphagia, food impaction, feeding difficulties, vomiting, and failure to thrive in children. These symptoms result from dysregulated neural control and inflammation-induced tissue remodeling and may extend beyond esophageal dysfunction to impact sensory processing. This study aimed to evaluate the sensory processing difficulties in children with EoE.

Methods: This prospective case-control study included children with EoE and age-matched healthy controls. Sociodemographic data and medical histories were collected. Sensory processing abilities were evaluated using the sensory profile, which evaluates sensory performance across multiple domains.

Results: A total of 69 children aged 3-10 years participated in the study, including 22 diagnosed with EoE and 47 healthy controls. No significant demographic differences were found between groups (p > 0.05). Children with EoE exhibited significantly greater sensory processing difficulties in oral sensory processing, vestibular processing, and oral sensory sensitivity compared to healthy controls (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: Sensory processing difficulties in children with EoE extend beyond feeding challenges, affecting oral sensory and vestibular processing functions. Incorporating sensory processing assessments into clinical evaluations may improve the understanding of sensory-related challenges in this population. A multidisciplinary approach could help refine clinical management strategies.