Q: I would like to know about hyperthyroidism. I would also like to know in detail regarding increased cerebral pressure in pre-term babies. My daughter is 2.5 years old. She was born at 32 weeks gestation. She has been having vomiting since the past 1 year 8 months. Now the doctor says he would check her optic nerve to see for any cerebral pressure. Kindly mail me regarding all the possibilities as to why she is having vomiting. She weighs only 9.6 kg and is 80 cm in height.

A:The vomiting could be due to organic cause if it is of sudden onset, or if the child is not well in between attacks of vomiting, and is lacking in energy and certainly if the child is losing weight. These symptoms may also be psychological in origin but unusual at a very young age. The common causes are infection (such as gastroenteritis, meningitis - inflammation of the coverings of brain, tonsillitis, pyelonephritis - inflammation of the kidney and pelvis, otitis media - inflammation of the middle ear and whooping cough). Raised intracranial pressure or migraine can cause recurrent vomiting; usually this is associated with headache, visual problems. Examination of the eye especially the fundus can help to detect this. In pre term babies it may be because of gastro-oesophageal reflux - the vomiting is effortless and projectile. Many drugs can also produce vomiting by causing gastric irritation or by central action.