Bloody or yellow or green liquid (bile) in vomit in children
Vomiting can irritate a child's mouth, nose, or throat and cause bleeding. Blood caused by irritation will appear as bright red streaks in the vomit. This is not serious if it only happens once or twice and goes away when your child stops vomiting.
Vomit that is mostly blood, is bright red, or looks like coffee grounds (partially digested blood) occurs because of bleeding in the stomach or digestive tract.
If your child is eating solid foods, he or she may have vomit that is the same color as something he or she recently ate, such as peas or squash. However, vomit that is yellow or green and clearly has not been colored by food may occur because of a blockage in the digestive tract, such as malrotation or intussusception. These are medical emergencies and require immediate evaluation.
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS | Last Updated: July 12, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics Thomas Emmett Francoeur, MDCM, CSPQ, FRCPC - Pediatrics | |
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