Young children and toddlers can present with many of the same symptoms of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) as infants including vomiting and poor weight gain. But as they become older, young children can begin to use their words to explain any other symptoms they may be experiencing.
Additional symptoms that may begin to appear in toddlers are pain with swallowing (odynophagia) and difficulty swallowing (dysphagia). Abdominal and chest pain may be appear as other symptoms of EoE. A child now can describe any pain or discomfort although the words used to describe EoE symptoms may be less medically precise – examples of children with eosinophilic esophagitis talking about their symptoms include a “fluke” in their throat, or a “transformer unfolding in my chest.” A perceptive doctor may pick up on these symptoms then evaluate further.