Vomiting bile in a child
The occurrence of nausea and vomiting signal violations of the body of the child, but usually are protective reactions, helping in getting rid of harmful substances or bacteria. Most often, with vomiting, partially digested food is released, which the child ate shortly before the onset of the symptom. It may also contain various impurities, such as bile. Why is it possible to get bile in vomit and how to help your baby with bile vomiting?
What does it look like?
The secretion of bile with vomit gives them a yellowish or greenish color. The contents of the stomach are expelled outward through the mouth due to a sharp contraction of the muscles of the diaphragm, the stomach itself and the abdominal wall.
Before the appearance of vomiting, the child usually feels nauseous, turns pale, and he may have a chill. The more vomiting episodes are repeated in a child, the more it weakens and the higher the risk of dehydration.
Possible reasons
Most often, bile vomiting is a symptom of food poisoning or another disease of the digestive tract that causes multiple bouts of vomiting. Often, other symptoms of a gastrointestinal tract lesion are associated with such vomiting - diarrhea, severe abdominal pain, chills, fever.
The causes of vomiting, in which impurities of bile are determined, are called:
- Intestinal infection.
- Diseases of the gallbladder.
- Pilorospasm.
- Acute appendicitis.
- Bilious colic.
- Intestinal obstruction.
- Food poisoning.
- Congenital constriction of the upper digestive tract.
- Renal colic.
- Thrombosis of the vessels in the intestine.
- Brain damage.
Among the non-hazardous factors causing bile reflux into the child’s stomach and its ejection with vomitus, psychic overload, active games, and the use of very fatty and spicy foods can be called. In such cases, vomiting is often one or two times, and the general condition of the child is almost not disturbed.
Should I call a doctor?
Since the occurrence of vomiting with impurities of bile can be a sign of quite serious diseases, it is recommended to call a doctor in all cases of the onset of this symptom in children.
It is especially urgent to call a doctor in such situations:
- The child complains of severe abdominal pain.
- The baby has a high fever.
- Vomiting in a child repeated and joined her diarrhea.
- The child ate spoiled food or took any medicine before the appearance of vomiting.
- You have noticed signs of dehydration in a child.
First aid
- First of all, parents should calm down themselves and calm the child, as vomiting episodes are always alarming. It is necessary to call the doctor and wait for him, without departing from the baby for a minute.
- In order to prevent the contents of the digestive tract from entering the child's respiratory organs, make sure that the baby does not lie on his back. The optimal position after vomiting is vertical. If the child is lying, turn his head to the side.
- It is important to start immediately giving the child a drink to prevent the development of dehydration. Solutions of glucose and salts, which are made from pharmaceutical powder preparations, are considered the best option for drinking. You can also prepare similar solutions at home using sugar, soda, and salt. Such solutions are given in small portions (in a teaspoon) every five to ten minutes.
- No medicines, especially antibiotics and antiemetic drugs, should be given to the doctor before the baby is examined by the doctor.
Tips
If the baby is of infant age, it can be continued to be fed with the mother’s milk or a mixture, and when the vomiting appears, it is temporarily canceled.
It is not necessary to feed older children in the period after vomiting of bile (up to 5-6 hours), although most babies have less appetite after such a symptom. As soon as the child recovers and asks for food, give him lightly ground food, such as rice porridge or vegetable puree. Read more in the article about vomiting diet.
