The red spots on your child's face after vomiting are most likely petechiae, which are small red or purple pinpoint dots caused by broken capillary blood vessels just under the skin.
Understanding the Red Spots
Petechiae (pronounced pih-TEE-kee-ee) are tiny spots that look like a rash but are actually caused by tiny blood vessels (capillaries) bursting near the surface of the skin. They are not typically itchy and do not blanch (turn white) when pressed.
The Connection to Vomiting
According to the provided information, events that cause an increase in pressure can lead to petechiae. Vomiting is one such event.
Here's why this happens:
- When your child vomits forcefully, it creates significant pressure in the head and face.
- This sudden increase in pressure can cause the very small, fragile capillaries around the eyes and on the face to break.
- When these capillaries break, tiny amounts of blood leak out into the surrounding tissue, resulting in the appearance of small red or purple dots – the petechiae.
This phenomenon is similar to what might cause petechiae from other pressure-increasing activities, such as intense crying or coughing.
While seeing these spots can be alarming, they are a common and harmless result of the physical strain of vomiting. They typically fade on their own within a few days.
