Vomiting

Vomiting is the forced expulsion of a large fraction of the stomach’s content. Regurgitation is the easy spit up of a small portion of the stomach’s content. In children it is most commonly caused by viral or bacterial infections.

Most cases last less than 24 hours.

Vomiting may be caused by many factors including:

  • spoiled foods
  • viral gastroenteritis
  • overeating
  • motion sickness
  • fever
  • headaches
  • inner ear disturbance
  • over excitement
  • stress

Home/Self Care

No solids for about 8 hours

Take clear fluids in small quantities for about 8 hours. Without diarrhea the best clear fluid is water. For infants you can give pedialyte. For older children flat soda and dilute sports drinks and juices are not ideal but acceptable. Avoid milk.

Over the counter medication are not recommended for infants and are rarely needed for older children. They won’t speed recovery and your child will get well without them.

For infants and younger children, you can start with 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon every 5-10 minutes. You can increase it by doubling it every hour. If vomiting recurs, then rest for an hour and restart with a smaller initial volume and increase the volume slower.

Do not give children as much clear fluids as they will drink initially. This almost always leads to vomiting.

Bland diet after about 8 hours.

For infants you can restart some formula but start with a much smaller amount. For infants older than 4 months, you can restart some cereal with applesause or bananas. For older children, you can start with crackers, toast, mashed potatoes, cereal, lean meat and clear soup. The diet can be progressed after tolerating several feeds.

For breast fed infants, you can nurse less initially and increase to full feeds after about 8 hours. If vomiting recurs, place the baby on pedialyte for 4-8 hours before restarting nursing.

Medications

Stop all medication since it may make the vomiting worse. Rectal Tylenol is appropriate for temp over 102.

About Rehydrating Solutions

Pedialyte and Infalyte are fluid replacement solutions that can be given for mild to moderate dehydration. They should not be used as your child’s only calorie source for more than 24 hours.

You can make a temporary rehydrating solution at home, using ½ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 quart water. This should only be used until you can purchase Infalyte, Pedialyte, or Gatorade (use Gatorade diluted to half strength), because it doesn’t contain necessary potassium.

Children often don’t like the taste of rehydrating solutions. Purchase flavored formulas, or improve the taste of solutions by adding a sprinkle of Kool-Aid or NutraSweet.

Rehydrating solutions are also available as Popsicles. Be careful your child doesn’t eat them too quickly. Like liquid rehydrating solutions, they should only be given a teaspoon at a time.

Call immediately if

  • Vomiting and diarrhea more than 3 times in a row
  • No urination or wet diapers in at least 8 hours
  • Dry tears(crying with no tear production)
  • Blood in the vomited material
  • Your child is hard to awaken or acts very sick
  • Possible poison ingestion ( call the Capital area poison control (800) 222-1222 )

Call during regular business hours if

  • Less than 6 months, more than 12 hours of vomiting
  • 6 mo – 24 months, more than 24 hours
  • 2 years and up, more than 48 hours.
  • concerns