UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL BLEEDING IN CHILDREN

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is a life threatening condition in children. Bleeding may occur anywhere along the gastrointestinal tract. Children who present with hematemesis constitute 10-15% of referrals to pediatric gastroenterologists (Arain and Rossi 1999). Gastrointestinal bleeding can be roughly divided into three clinical syndromes (1).