Most of the time, vomiting in children is caused by gastroenteritis, usually due to a virus infecting the gastrointestinal tract. (Gastroenteritis is sometimes called the "stomach flu," which can also cause nausea and diarrhea.) These infections often don't last long and are more disruptive than dangerous to your child. However, if kids (especially infants) are unable to take fluids adequately, and if there's also diarrhea, they could become dehydrated.
Your most important intervention may be a calm approach - vomiting is frightening for young children (and parents, too) and exhausting for children of all ages. Offering plenty of reassurance to your child and taking appropriate measures to prevent dehydration are key for a quick recovery.
What to Do When Your Child Is Vomiting
For infants under 6 months:
Avoid giving plain water to a young infant unless your child's doctor directly specifies an amount.
Offer your infant small but frequent amounts - about 2 to 3 teaspoons, or up to 1/2 ounce (about 20 milliliters) - of an oral electrolyte solution every 15 to 20 minutes with a spoon or an oral syringe. Oral electrolyte solutions (available at most supermarkets or pharmacies and also called oral electrolyte maintenance solutions) are balanced with salts to replace what's lost with vomiting or diarrhea, and they also contain some sugar. It's especially important for young infants that any fluids given have the correct salt balance (unflavored electrolyte solutions are best for younger infants).
Gradually increase the amount of solution you're giving if your infant is able to keep it down for more than a couple of hours without vomiting. For instance, if your little one takes 4 ounces (or about 120 milliliters) normally per feed, slowly work up to giving this amount of oral electrolyte solution over the course of the day.
Do not give more solution at a time than your infant would normally eat - this will overfill an already irritated tummy and will likely cause more vomiting.
After your infant goes for a period of time (more than about 8 hours) without vomiting, you can reintroduce formula slowly if your infant is formula-fed. Start with small (1/2 to 1 ounce, or about 20 to 30 milliliters), more frequent feeds and slowly work up to your infant's normal feeding routine. If your infant already eats baby cereal, it's OK to start solid feedings in small amounts again.
If your infant is exclusively breastfeeding and vomits (not just spits up, but vomits what seems like the entire feed) more than once, then breastfeed for a total of 5 to 10 minutes every 2 hours. If your infant is still vomiting, then call your child's doctor. After 8 hours without vomiting, you can resume breastfeeding normally.
If your infant is under 1 month old and vomiting all feeds (not just spitting up), call your child's doctor immediately.
For infants 6 months to 1 year:
Avoid giving plain water to an infant under 1 year, unless an amount is directly specified by your child's doctor.
Give your infant small but frequent amounts - about 3 teaspoons, or 1/2 ounce (about 20 milliliters) - of an oral electrolyte solution every 15 to 20 minutes. It's important that any fluids given to infants under 1 year of age who are vomiting have the correct salt balance (again, oral electrolyte solutions are balanced with salts to replace what's lost with vomiting or diarrhea).
An infant over 6 months of age may not appreciate the taste of an unflavored oral electrolyte solution. Flavored solutions are also available, or you can add 1/2 teaspoon (about 3 milliliters) of juice to each feeding of unflavored oral electrolyte solutions. Frozen oral electrolyte solution pops are often appealing to infants in this age group; this approach also encourages the slow intake of fluids that's required.
Gradually increase the amount of solution you're giving if your infant is able to keep it down for m
Answered by
yoga
, an ibibo Citizen,
at
3:26 PM on April 11, 2008
