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	vomiting

VOMITING

Vomiting is the forceful ejection of a large portion of the stomach’s contents through the mouth. By contrast, regurgitation is the effortless spitting up of 1-2 mouthfuls of stomach contents that are commonly seen in babies.

Most vomiting is caused by a viral infection of the stomach or eating something that disagrees with your child. Often, the viral type is associated with diarrhea. The vomiting usually stops in 6-24 hours. Dietary changes usually speed recovery.

You should call our office at once:

• If there are any signs of dehydration such as a very dry mouth and no tears;
• If there is no urine output in eight (8) hours;
• If your child is difficult to awaken or confused;
• If there is severe headache or a recent abdominal or head injury;
• If your child’s age is less than 12 weeks;
• If abdominal pain or crying persists for more than four (4) hours, or
• If there is a fever higher than 105.

If these situations apply please call 345-3133 for immediate assistance.

If your child is an infant less than 12 months old and has vomited more than twice, we recommend that you offer Pedialyte or Kao Lectrolyte only for the first eight (8) hours. Please start with only 1 tsp. every 10 minutes. After four (4) hours without vomiting, slowly increase the amount to 1-2 ounces every 30 minutes. After eight (8) hours without vomiting, your child may return to breastfeeding or formula feeding. A normal diet may be resumed in 24-48 hours after vomiting has ended.

If your child is more than 12 months old, we recommend that you give nothing by mouth for the first hour, then offer a mixture of half Pedialyte or Kao Lectrolyte and half Sprite for the first 12 hours. Start with 1 Tbsp. every 10 minutes. After four (4) hours without vomiting, you may slowly increase the amount. After 12 hours, you may add in bland foods such as crackers, rice, bread or mashed potatoes. A relatively normal diet may be resumed in 1-2 days but please refrain from greasy foods for several days.

Remember with all children to discontinue all non-essential medicines for the first eight (8) hours. Suppositories such as Phenergan usually don’t stop vomiting and tend to cause drowsiness that may decrease your child’s intake. A common error is to give as much clear liquid as your child will take rather than gradually increasing the amount. This almost always leads to continued vomiting.

Call during regular office hours if your child is under six (6) months of age and has been vomiting for more than 12 hours or if your child is over six (6) months of age and has been vomiting for more than 24 hours.

This telephone advice on vomiting is presented as general information and is not meant to be specific treatment for your child’s medical problem. If you need further assistance, call 855-9160 during regular office hours to speak with one of our Health Information Nurses.