This subject merits reappraisal since it now appears from data accumulated in the literature as well as our own observations that serious and usually fatal gastrointestinal ulceration in neurologic disorders of children occurs fairly often. Further, some recently introduced therapeutic measures may actually increase the real incidence of these complications: eg, the widespread use of some of the newer tranquilizer drugs, such as reserpine, which has been known to produce gastrointestinal ulceration and hemorrhage by increasing the volume and acidity of gastric secretions.1 Steroids also have been implicated in drug induced ulcers2-5; and another new and iatrogenic etiology is acute peptic ulceration following thoracic and cardiac surgery.6,7
The causative role of stress in gastrointestinal ulceration has been demonstrated repeatedly by Selye and co-workers,8,9 and since Curling's report in 1842 it has been universally recognized that burns may be responsible for gastrointestinal ulceration.
However, any severe trauma