Green vomit in a child without fever: symptoms, causes, what to do?

Main reasons

In a child, green vomit may indicate the presence of various health problems. There are a number of varieties of this reflex, namely:

• hepatogenic;
• cerebral;
• psychogenic;
• diabetic;
• renal;
• cardiac;
• cyclical.

Frequent nausea and vomiting occur at night. In some cases, they are accompanied by additional symptoms, such as diarrhea and high fever. Green vomit in a child may indicate problems such as:

• infection of the body;
• psychoemotional disorders;
• metabolic disease.

In infants, green vomit may indicate serious problems, so you should immediately visit a pediatrician for diagnosis. Yellow-green vomiting in a child can be very dangerous, as it is mainly associated with problems and pathologies of the gallbladder. In addition, diseases such as:

• pyloric stenosis;
• pylorospasm;
• intestinal obstruction.

Pyloric stenosis develops due to narrowing of one section of the stomach. As a result, the passage of food is somewhat difficult. Pathology is often observed after the baby is born. Predisposing factors are considered to be endocrine diseases of the mother, as well as the use of certain medications. This is a rather dangerous pathology that threatens the life of a child.

Pylorospasm is characterized by the fact that a spasm of the pylorus occurs. It can lead to digestive problems. As a result, the baby regurgitates a lot of food. Bile is often present in vomit. The pathology is often present in newborn children, as well as if the woman was under stress and overworked during pregnancy.

Green vomiting in a child may be due to intestinal obstruction, which can occur at any age. The main reason for its occurrence is a violation of the diet.

Green vomiting in a child and a bitter taste in the mouth can be observed for reasons such as:

• liver diseases;
• gallbladder pathology;
• poisoning;
• appendicitis;
• acute intestinal infections;
• disorders in the pancreas.

Pancreatitis is a dangerous disease characterized by inflammation of the pancreas. In this case, yellow-green vomiting in a child is considered one of the main signs of this pathology.

Regurgitation in babies

Regurgitation is a type of gagging movement that is observed only in children 1 year of age. Unlike classic vomiting, this process is carried out exclusively by the abdominal muscles. Due to the incomplete maturity of the sphincters of the upper digestive tract, gastric contents freely exit when abdominal pressure increases (with muscle contraction).

This is a physiological process that ensures that the stomach is freed from air that enters it during feeding.

Main features:

• regurgitation occurs after eating and once;
• a small amount of milk and water is regurgitated;
• the baby's condition is not affected.

If the baby’s vomiting continues for a long time, vomiting is repeated, there is blood in the vomit, yellow or greenish discharge, the smell is changed, then this process should be considered as a pathology and you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Associated symptoms

Vomiting with green mucus in a child may be accompanied by some additional signs that indicate the presence of concomitant pathologies in the digestive system. These symptoms include:

• high temperature;
• weakness;
• loose stools;
• headache.

If all these signs appear, you should definitely visit a doctor, as this will prevent the risk of complications.

Carrying out diagnostics

If green vomiting is observed in a child without fever, it is imperative to conduct a comprehensive examination to make the correct diagnosis. The doctor initially collects data on diseases. To get a general picture of the child’s condition, tests need to be done.

If green feces and vomiting are observed in a child, this may indicate metabolic disorders or the presence of metabolic pathology. In this case, you need to take a general biochemical blood test. If a deviation in the functioning of internal organs is suspected, a urine test, x-ray, ultrasound of internal organs and consultation with specialized specialists will also be required.

Mechanism of occurrence

1. The abdominal diaphragm descends.
2. The vocal cords (folds) close, closing the glottis. This provides respiratory protection.
3. The pyloric sphincter of the stomach (the circular closing muscle located in its final section) sharply contracts, and the lower sphincter of the esophagus relaxes.
4. The muscle fibers of the abdomen and diaphragm tighten, causing the contents of the stomach to be expelled through the mouth or nasal passages.

The process is regulated by the vomiting center, located in the medulla oblongata. Thus, vomiting is a reflex act that a person cannot consciously influence.

Vomiting in children can be of an organic nature (due to illness) and be functional, in most cases associated with the mental sphere. Pathology accompanied by vomiting is congenital or acquired. If congenital anomalies appear already during the first hours (or days) of a child’s life, then acquired diseases - at any age.

First aid

If green vomit is observed in a child with or without fever, you should immediately call an ambulance. Before the doctor arrives, you must provide first aid to the baby. At home, you should ensure that your child is in a position where he or she will not choke. There is no need to let him throw his head back.

After each new attack of vomiting, you need to thoroughly rinse the child’s mouth with warm water or wipe with a damp swab. In addition, you can use a weak disinfectant solution, such as potassium permanganate or boric acid. The baby needs to be given plenty of fluids to drink. The water should be cool, and for a child over 4 years old – cold. To eliminate the urge to vomit, you can add a few mint drops to the water or use Regidron.

If green vomit is observed in a child without fever or diarrhea, then emergency medical attention is not required. If the attack recurs after a few minutes or hours, or if your health worsens, you should consult a specialist.

How and why do children become infected with salmonellosis and what can be done to prevent this from happening?

Children are one of the main risk groups. They get sick almost three times more often than adults and suffer more severely from the infection: immunity has not yet been formed, in order to get sick, a child needs a smaller amount of the pathogen, and he loses fluid faster than an adult. The younger the child, the higher the danger, and infants in the first months of life are also susceptible to this infection. Pediatricians identify rickets, anemia, weakened immunity, frequent illness, and artificial feeding as additional risk factors. The method of infection varies depending on the age of the patient. In newborns and infants, contact and household (through objects, toys, animals, other family members) predominates, in preschoolers and schoolchildren - food. Depending on the method of infection, the incubation period varies: from several hours to 3 days for foodborne infection, up to 7 days for household contact. The main way to prevent food poisoning by these bacteria is heat treatment. They die instantly when boiled, and when heated to 56 ℃ they last only 3 minutes. Therefore, meat, eggs, and dairy products can be given to children only after heat treatment. The same applies to drinking water. Vegetables that are supposed to be eaten raw must be washed with soap, and best of all, peeled (possibly infected with manure). If your child interacts with animals (not just farm animals! You can get infected, for example, from turtles), you need to warn him not to kiss them or touch his face with his hands before he washes them or you wipe his hands with a disinfectant wipe. And, of course, you need to wash your hands as often as possible with warm water and soap.

Features of treatment

Treatment of green vomiting in a child, with or without fever, involves gastric lavage, drug treatment, and elimination of provoking factors. In addition, you must take a sorbent to remove toxins from the body. The doctor will make certain instructions regarding the restoration of the digestive tract mucosa.

Dietary adherence is required. You need to give up fermented milk products. Basically, you need to take herbal infusions, teas with honey and baked fruits.

To stop the urge to vomit, special antiemetic drugs are prescribed. It is worth remembering that there are no uniform remedies for the treatment of vomiting, since this is a sign of pathology of internal organs.

Drug treatment

If there is green vomiting with fever in a child, it is imperative to determine the main cause of the problem, since treatment can vary significantly. In any case, the treatment method should be selected exclusively by the attending physician. Therefore, when the very first signs of illness appear in a child, parents need to immediately seek medical help.

After establishing the cause of the pathology, the doctor may prescribe medications such as:

• sorbents;
• antibiotics;
• antispasmodics;
• antiemetics;
• rehydration drugs.

Sorbents help remove toxins and harmful substances from the body. For this you can use activated carbon, Atoxil, Enterosgel, Smecta. Antispasmodics help eliminate pain caused by spasms. Children may be prescribed drugs such as Drotaverine and No-Shpa.

Antibiotics are prescribed for intestinal infections. To eliminate the infection, doctors mainly prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics, in particular Azithromycin and Cefixime. Rehydration medications are required to normalize the body's water balance. For this purpose, the drug “Regidron” is mainly prescribed. Among antiemetic drugs, a child can be prescribed Motilium and Cerucal.

If a child experiences green vomiting, fever and diarrhea, it is strictly prohibited to use any medications without making a correct diagnosis. For example, in case of intestinal obstruction, it is strictly forbidden to use antispasmodics, as they can cause complications, and antiemetic drugs will interfere with the removal of toxins.

The most dangerous causes of vomiting. Clinical features

Vomiting is a very alarming symptom that may indicate serious illness. Therefore, it is important for parents to pay attention not only to its frequency, but also to the smell, color, and amount of vomit.

The most dangerous vomiting is:

We will separately highlight the symptoms of the most dangerous conditions accompanied by vomiting.

Intestinal obstruction

Along with stool disturbances (disappearance or sharp decrease in the amount of feces), spasmodic abdominal pain occurs. Babies in this situation often pull their legs towards their tummy. The gradual development of intoxication causes nausea, general weakness, and after a while - vomiting.

Characteristics of vomit:

• colored yellowish, greenish;
• often have an unpleasant, putrid odor;
• they may contain remnants of food eaten the day before and several days ago.

Such manifestations require urgent medical attention; treating such a pathology on your own is extremely dangerous for the child’s life.

Appendicitis

In children, the disease often occurs without typical pain in the right abdomen.

Manifestations:

• pain around the navel, as well as shingles, is possible;
• increased body temperature;
• state disturbance: general weakness, tearfulness occurs, the child loses appetite, stool retention is likely.

One of the first manifestations may be reflex vomiting, as a reaction to a disturbance in the motor activity of the intestine when the appendix is ​​damaged, and later as a manifestation of intoxication syndrome.

Contacting a pediatrician and a pediatric surgeon is the only correct tactic when such symptoms develop.

Poisoning

In case of acute poisoning by toxins that come from outside (for example, with spoiled food, household chemicals), manifestations of intoxication occur, as well as vomiting as a protective reaction.

Characteristic:

• a sharp one-time attack;
• in severe cases, vomiting is often repeated and may become uncontrollable;
• loose stool;
• Possible fever and pain.

In adolescence, alcohol poisoning may occur with the development of intoxication syndrome and vomiting.

In case of poisoning, treatment tactics depend on the immediate cause, so it is necessary to seek medical help as quickly as possible. As a general measure, you need to rinse the stomach and give the child sorbents, for example Filtrum.

Filtrum is a sorbent with proven effectiveness against mycotoxicosis - the main cause of vomiting in food poisoning. Does not damage the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, unlike activated carbon and mineral sorbents

Damage to the nervous system

Encephalitis and meningitis (inflammation of the brain and its membranes) are characterized by repeated vomiting that does not bring relief.

Main manifestations of pathology:

• severe weakness, malaise, loss of appetite;
• high body temperature (up to 40 °C);
• severe headaches.

Children a little older than 1 year, as a rule, scream loudly and monotonously.

Early symptoms are described and occur before the development of specific neurological disorders. Therefore, it is important to call an ambulance or consult a pediatrician as soon as possible if such changes occur.

Physiotherapeutic techniques

Physiotherapeutic procedures can be additionally prescribed to the child, but they are used only as part of complex therapy, after the correct diagnosis has been made. In addition, such techniques can be used for therapeutic purposes. They have a beneficial effect on the functioning of internal organs and strengthen the body's defenses. Physiotherapeutic procedures such as:

• magnetic therapy;
• water procedures;
• physiotherapy;
• wellness massage;
• heat therapy;
• aerotherapy.

Such techniques provide especially good results for pyloric spasms. Additionally, the child may be prescribed massage, breathing exercises and physical therapy.

Folk remedies

Traditional medicine can only be used after prior consultation with a doctor. You can stop vomiting using such means as:

• green tea leaves, you need to chew them or make tea;
• infusion based on dill seeds;
• walnut leaves and fruits mixed with horsetail;
• infusion of citrus peels;
• tincture based on caraway seeds and nutmeg.

All these folk remedies do not replace basic treatment. Their action is primarily aimed at strengthening the immune system. Citrus and ginger tea will help reduce nausea and the gag reflex.

Beetroot juice helps eliminate stagnation of bile, as well as normalize well-being after vomiting. To prepare it, you need to boil the beets until half cooked, then grate the vegetables and squeeze out the juice. It is recommended to take the finished product before meals.

Pumpkin seeds help normalize bile production. This remedy also helps get rid of worms. Tea made with peppermint helps cope with nausea and vomiting. For chronic pancreatitis, it is recommended to use freshly squeezed juices of carrots, potatoes, and Brussels sprouts.

Surgical intervention

If a child often experiences fever, diarrhea, and green vomiting, then surgery may be prescribed to eliminate complex pathologies. Surgical treatment is prescribed for diseases such as:

• pyloric stenosis;
• acute appendicitis;
• intestinal obstruction.

Any operation must be performed under general anesthesia. In case of pyloric stenosis, the doctor dissects the narrowed pylorus and then corrects its opening. If the operation was performed correctly, then it does not affect the life and well-being of the child in any way.

In case of intestinal obstruction, the doctor makes an incision in the child’s abdominal cavity, and then straightens the intestine and assesses the condition of the pinched tissues. In the case of peritonitis, the damaged areas are removed and then washed.

Nutritional Features

For a breastfed baby, breastfeeding should be continued even if the baby is not feeling well. If a child does not refuse feeding, it means that milk will not harm him.

If green vomit is observed in older children, then it is best to exclude completely any food for a while. All you need to do is consume as much fluid as possible. Regular mint relieves nausea well. Therefore, a child over 3 years old can be given herbal tea to drink.

After the acute period has stopped, you need to gradually give the child food. After vomiting bile, it is important to follow a special diet. At first, you need to feed your baby boiled rice. It is recommended to avoid salty and spicy foods, sweets, and fatty foods. Gradually you need to return to your usual diet, adding little meat and fish, dairy products, as well as fruits and vegetables.

Vomiting of newborns

It can not only be a manifestation of diseases, but also occur when the rules of feeding and care are violated.

Diseases of the digestive system, one of the symptoms of which is vomiting:

• congenital anomalies: atresia of the esophagus, when there is no connection between it and the stomach; pyloric stenosis, which is a persistent decrease in the lumen of the outlet of the stomach, for example, due to inflammation or tumor growth;
• pylorospasm (disruption of the nervous regulation of contraction of the muscular apparatus of the stomach);
• diseases manifested by flatulence (bloating and increased gas production) and constipation, most often – pathology of the pancreas and intestinal diseases.

The frequency of stool and the nature of feces in an infant are influenced by the mother's nutrition during breastfeeding. A large number of fixative foods (pears, unripe bananas, strong tea, rice), as well as those leading to increased gas formation (whole milk, legumes) can cause the same changes in the baby.

Among the violations of eating technique, the first place is overfeeding and the child swallowing a large amount of air during feeding. Here it is important to ensure that the baby grasps not only the nipple, but also the areola around it with his lips. After feeding, it is necessary to hold the baby upright so that the gas that has entered the stomach naturally comes out and burps.

What is not recommended to do

If a child suddenly vomits, any medications should be taken only after a doctor’s prescription. Medicines help eliminate unpleasant symptoms, and it will be very difficult for specialists to determine the cause of the attack. As a result, the disease may go undetected. If you are vomiting severely, you should definitely call an ambulance. In case of vomiting without diarrhea and fever, it is strictly prohibited:

• use medications without a doctor’s prescription;
• do gastric lavage;
• consume food within 7 hours after an attack;
• leave the child unattended if bouts of vomiting recur;
• ignore vomiting.

This condition can be caused by various diseases in the body, so it is important to pay attention to the presence of a problem in a timely manner so that it can be solved in a timely manner.

Regurgitation and vomiting in a child are a common reason for visiting a doctor.

Regurgitation and vomiting are a reflex action that occurs when receptors located in various anatomical zones are irritated, including. in the stomach, esophagus, pharynx, oral cavity. The signal is transmitted to the vomiting center, which is located in the medulla oblongata and a gag reflex occurs.

What is the difference between regurgitation and vomiting?

The difference lies in the volume and kinetics (movement) of gastric contents expelled. When regurgitating, the flow occurs without the participation of the diaphragm and abdominal muscles, i.e. passively. The contents are small, up to about 10–15 ml. If the child does not swallow it, it flows quietly out of the mouth. When vomiting, a wave-like bending of the upper half of the body occurs as a result of contraction of the muscles of the diaphragm and the anterior wall of the abdomen, the volume of vomit is greater, and it is erupted with pressure from the oral cavity with a discharge trajectory of up to 50 cm. In children of the first year of life, this is defined by the term “vomiting fountain” .

Regurgitation is observed only in children of the first year of life and, mainly, up to 6 months. This is facilitated by the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the baby’s esophagus and stomach. Their esophagus is short and wide, the angle of the junction of the esophagus with the stomach is less pronounced, and its obturator function is weak. These regurgitations are physiological. They can be given after each feeding, with a volume of up to 15 ml, and do not affect the baby’s well-being or weight gain. They can also be caused by excessive feeding, aerophagia (swallowing air during sucking), and straining during intestinal colic. The frequency and volume of such regurgitation decreases as the child grows. With the introduction of complementary foods, which are thicker foods, regurgitation stops or becomes much less frequent.

If regurgitation persists in a child older than 1 year, then this is a sign of a pathological process.

Vomiting, unlike regurgitation, is accompanied by vegetative symptoms - increased salivation, pallor of the skin, palpitations. This is due to the fact that next to the vomiting center there are additional centers of autonomic regulation, which are reflexively excited, and active biological substances such as serotonin, dopamine, histamine and others are released into the blood.

Regurgitation and vomiting, from the moment of eating, can occur during feeding, after feeding during the first 20–30 minutes, or delayed, sometimes after several hours.

Regurgitation and vomiting that occurs immediately after feeding with unchanged breast milk or formula may be a consequence of a narrowing of the esophagus. If they persist until the next feeding, and the milk/formula is curdled and has a sour or musty smell, then this is the result of food remaining in the stomach for a long time. The reason for this may be the low tone of the muscular layer of the stomach and, as a consequence, its peristalsis or narrowing of the outlet section due to an abnormal development or high tone of the sphincter of the lower stomach. When the duodenum is narrowed, bile is present in the regurgitated masses.

Gastroesophageal reflux is a common cause of regurgitation in children of the first year of life. There is probably a complex problem here, starting with the immaturity of the gastrointestinal tract and disorders of the central nervous system. Perinatal damage to the central nervous system occurs in every second child. Their manifestations are varied. Regurgitation and vomiting can be facilitated by increased intracranial pressure, disorders in the cervical spine segment, etc. Therefore, quite often, when carrying out rehabilitation measures for neurological dysfunctions, a positive effect appears in the form of a decrease or cessation of regurgitation. A hiatal hernia will also manifest itself in a similar way.

We must not forget about allergic gastrointestinal reactions in the form of regurgitation and vomiting. The most common cause of this is cow's milk protein. In case of intolerance to cow's milk protein, inflammation of the mucous membrane of the esophagus, stomach and intestines occurs. And, as a result of this, regurgitation and vomiting, pain and increased gas formation, diarrhea or constipation.

Rare endocrine disorders (adrenogenital syndrome) are manifested by vomiting in children from the first weeks of life. In such cases, vomiting is frequent, there may be an admixture of bile, the child loses weight due to loss of fluid and nutrients, and severe metabolic disorders develop.

Vomiting can also be caused by an intestinal infection. Viral gastroenteritis is currently common. It must be remembered that the younger the child, the more severe the disease. Within a few hours, the child’s condition can go from satisfactory to extremely serious.

As you can see, the causes of regurgitation and vomiting in children of the first year of life are quite varied, but most often these are transient conditions that pass as the child grows.

Prevention of regurgitation in children in the first months of life is quite simple. Don't overfeed your baby. If he cries, it doesn't always mean he's hungry. Excessive feeding leads to increased gas formation and colic, during which the baby becomes restless and strains, thereby increasing the likelihood of regurgitation. After feeding, hold your baby more upright so that he can burp the swallowed air. This will take 15–20 minutes. If your child is bottle-fed, do not change his formula milk without the recommendation of your pediatrician.

If the child has frequent regurgitation and vomiting, then to diagnose the cause it is necessary to consult a pediatrician or gastroenterologist. To make a diagnosis, sometimes it is enough to carry out simple and accessible diagnostic methods in a clinic. These include ultrasound of the stomach and, if necessary, stool tests. However, the approach in each case is individual. Examination and treatment will be prescribed for your baby depending on the established diagnosis. Perhaps these will be preventive measures or a certain milk formula, perhaps drug therapy. It is rare, but it happens that a child needs to be examined in a hospital and undergo surgical treatment.

Prevention and prognosis

If you respond in time to the appearance of unpleasant and dangerous symptoms, the prognosis for the treatment of any disease accompanied by vomiting is favorable. Therapy is often carried out in a hospital setting. Infants and premature babies should be under the supervision of a doctor around the clock.

The lack of proper timely treatment can lead to the development of very complex and dangerous inflammatory processes, in particular peritonitis. Dehydration can also be very dangerous. If treatment is not carried out in a timely manner, the death of the sick child cannot be ruled out.

The main measure to prevent vomiting is to eliminate provoking factors. Nutritional control is required, especially in young children. Some foods can have a negative effect on the digestive system and make the digestive organs more sensitive. Salty and smoked foods, as well as carbonated drinks, should be present in minimal quantities in the diet. Among the main preventive measures it is necessary to highlight the following:

• timely treatment of existing diseases;
• regular examination of the child;
• balanced diet.

If the examination does not reveal serious pathologies, then it is imperative to strengthen the immune system in order to avoid unpleasant consequences.