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Caring for a vomiting child


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Okay...I know this is weird, but our family never, I mean never, throws up. I don't even remember the last time someone did. I don't really know how to care for a child who is vomiting.

 

Ds woke up this morning vomiting, although he had hardly anything to throw up. I gave him some water the first time, and he's continued to throw up. Not to be gross, but it's just watery mucous.

 

Do I feed him? Do I wait? I don't want to make it worse, but I know he probably needs some liquids in him. I know it's crazy to have a 7 and 13 yo and not know what to do, but we just don't get stomach viruses of any kind.

 

Thanks for any advice.

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I would hold off giving him anything more, even water. This usually irritates the stomach and will just cause him to throw up again. The only other things I would watch out for is a high fever and, if he continues vomiting a lot throughout the day, I would be concerned with dehydration. Hope he feels better soon.

 

Lesley

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Well lucky you :D my kids puke all the time. My DD has an ENTIRE week every year that she vomits close to 100 times and usually ends up needing some shots, or an IV.

Her regimenis a whole different story.

 

For my regular vomiters, my doc always says to give fluids- just a tsp of water every 10-15 mins until vomiting stops. Once vomiting slows we also have them nibble on soda crackers or have some chicken broth. your main worry is dehydration and that makes them feel worse, so I have opposite advice of PP, but we were told to push fluids a little at a time

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:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

 

 

My dd was throwing up sick this past summer. It was the only time we've had a stomach virus. It was horrible. Luckily I was with my college friends and two of them were doctors!! Basically, we waited to try to give water until she hadn't thrown up for 30 minutes. Then, we tried Pedialyte. She could take three sips every 5 minutes. Enough to keep her hydrated, but not enough to upset her tummy. Then, we gradually added other things - crackers and then other bland foods.

 

My dd needed medication to stop throwing up. It was horrible for her. She threw up for 6 hours straight - every 15 minutes, at least. My doctor friend prescribed phenargen (sp?) and it worked!!!

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We don't get it terribly often, but I don't like to give nothing because of dehydration, so I usually get them to sip gatorade to keep hydrated. If I didn't have that, I'd give water definitely. Its best to take small sips rather than big drinks to avoid bringing it all up again.

Usually no food for 24 hours, and lots of handwashing and good hygiene practices to stop it spreading amongst the family.

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Wait 30 minutes.

Offer ONE TEASPOON of pedialyte or gatorade or similar.

Wait THIRTY MINUTES. IF he keeps that down, then another teaspoon. If that stays down then a teaspoon every 10 minutes.

 

NO DAIRY and no solid food today.

 

WE don't get throw up often here either, but I HATE it, so I have an action plan. It makes me feel better.

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We had throwing up in our home last night. PDG's tummy seems to be okay this morning, but now we know that DH's vomiting and Big D all night Sunday/Monday morning was a bug, and not food poisoning. Now I'm holding my breath for LLL and myself.

 

I'm having PDG eat a few saltines and slowly sipping a cup of Sleepytime green tea with about 25% Gatorade.

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My pediatrician suggested chewable children's Dramamine, you know the stuff made for motion sickness, when dd was about a year old.

 

IT WORKS!!

 

I didn't notice who old your child is, but just give him the dose for his age on the back of the box. (For dd, since she was so little, we gave her 1/4 - 1/2 of a tablet.) You have to catch them right after a throwing up spell and have them chew and swallow it. If it is able to stay down for a bit it really keeps them from getting sick for a few hours.

 

:grouphug: Hope he feels better soon!

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If you have Tums on hand, have him eat one. By the time there is nothing left in the stomach, the vomitus can get so acidic. The Tums can really cut down on the nasty acid taste.

 

I never knew that! Thanks!

 

The other thing that my doctor friend did (she's a DO and has studied a lot of alternative medicine) - she tested her diaphragm with touch. Then, she adjusted it somehow. Once her diaphragm stopped spasming, it helped a lot!!!

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I just wanted to mention the BRAT diet for when you do try to feed them something. Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast (or crackers). Also, popsicles (pedialite and regular) can usually stay down when other drinks do not. And just plain ice, but popsicles are usually better. Just don't give them anything red colored if you have light carpets. I unfortunately learned this lesson the hard way.

 

I hope they feel better soon!

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I'm so sorry to hear your kids are sick! We're also a non-vomiting family. It was about 4 years ago when we all had a bout with a stomach virus.

 

I agree with others about giving very small amounts of gatorade and very slowly increasing the amount. When ds1 was 4 he caught a bug and couldn't keep even a tsp of fluid down. Talk about non-stop vomiting! Our doc had us take him to the ER so he could be rehydrated. That cured him.

 

These stomach bugs are horrible! I hope your dc are better soon.

 

Cinder

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My dd has episodes where she throws up over and over again. We have learned to give 1 tsp Pedialyte or Gatorade every 5 minutes. We don't wait until she stops throwing up, or hasn't thrown up for a certain amount of time, because we know she needs the hydration/electrolytes and will most likely throw up again regardless. Water isn't ideal, though it will work short-term. Hydration doesn't stop the vomiting, but it does prevent irritation and helps keep her otherwise OK.

 

When she feels better, we are slow to introduce solid food. Rice, saltines, bananas, applesauce, toast, and other easy-to-digest foods in small quantities are best.

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Thanks for all the advice. No one else has shown any signs of being sick. Dd had her vocabulary class and my best friend was driving to it today. We went out to meet them at a grocery store, so I was able to get some Gatorade and soda crackers, if he can keep something down later.

 

We took a trash can with us. He last threw up at 8:50, and we were out until 9:45. I gave him a few sips of Gatorade and he's kept it down so far.

 

I only hope that none of us get it because my parents' 50th wedding anniversary reception is this Saturday in TN. We're leaving Friday to go to it. Pray we all stay well. I don't want to miss it!

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Thanks for all the advice. No one else has shown any signs of being sick. Dd had her vocabulary class and my best friend was driving to it today. We went out to meet them at a grocery store, so I was able to get some Gatorade and soda crackers, if he can keep something down later.

 

We took a trash can with us. He last threw up at 8:50, and we were out until 9:45. I gave him a few sips of Gatorade and he's kept it down so far.

 

I only hope that none of us get it because my parents' 50th wedding anniversary reception is this Saturday in TN. We're leaving Friday to go to it. Pray we all stay well. I don't want to miss it!

 

Sounds like it's getting better. Good! Luckily with a stomach virus, they seem to pass quickly from one to another and they don't last too long. I sure hope you get to go on your trip! Congrats to your parents!

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Our pediatrician told me to watch until an hour after the last upchuck, then only ONE TEASPOON of liguid every 15 minutes for a bit, to avoid starting the vomit cycle again. Use flat Coke or Gatorade rather than water if possible.

 

Once when we were on vacation with the kids and my then about 9 dd was into unstoppable dry heaves, the motel clerk on duty (a med student) told us to stop the cycle by calming the child in a warm bath. It worked. (We were in Yellowstone, an hour away from any real medical help.)

 

We also have the Phenergan suppositories in the 'fridge if needed. It is a prescription med. to help stop vomiting. I probably spelled it wrong, but a doctor would know what I meant.

 

I am getting woosey writing this so time to stop.

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