6 Steps To Relieve Child Vomiting Symptoms

Infants and kids sometimes experience bouts of vomiting for many reasons. It may be linked to a decrease of the regular motility of the stomach, therefore food does not move from the stomach to the intestine. Vomiting also occurs when the brain over stimulates the stomach and the esophagus by causing its surrounding muscles contract, causing stomach contents to be expelled. Most of the time, vomiting in kids, particularly when related with fever is much more likely triggered by an infection in the gastrointestinal tract.

In most children, vomiting is a symptom that should pass within a day or two and may be treated at home. Here are some helpful tips on how to appropriately deal with a child who is vomiting at home.

1. Stop offering meals or liquids for approximately 2 hours. Presence of food in the stomach will further encourage vomiting.

2. After the two-hour period, begin offering clear liquids in little sips or you may let your child suck on ice chips to stop dehydration. It is also best to give him oral hydration solutions like pedialyte to correct electrolyte loss in the body. Avoid lemonade, orange, and other acidic drinks simply because they can exacerbate the problem.

3. If there is no more vomiting right after introduction of clear fluids, you may start giving your child small amount of bland foods like dry crackers, cereals, or toast. Steer clear of caffeinated and dairy-containing meals.

4. Bear in mind to keep the child in a seated position rather than lying for about 30 minutes after introduction of any water or solid meals. This is performed to minimize odds of expulsion of the food by way of the mouth, and to avoid aspiration of vomitus (gastric contents) into the lungs.

5. If the child vomits while in lying position, turn his head to the side to let vomitus to flow out of his mouth.

6. You may steadily resume the child's diet 24 to 48 hours soon after the vomiting has ceased.

Although most instances of vomiting maybe monitored at home, a physician should be consulted if: a) your child's vomiting persists for more than 8 hours; b) if vomiting is associated with with fever, sever stomach pain, diarrhea, or severe head ache; c) if the child shows symptoms of dehydration similar to weakness, irritability, dry lips, mouth and tongue, little or no urination, sunken eyeballs, etc.; and d) if vomit consists of blood or resembles coffee ground.

Vomiting is only a symptom that encompasses a lot of possible illnesses that a kid can have. Though it is vital to examine what causes the vomiting, each parent should understand that dehydration is the closest possible danger when the kid is vomiting, and this can only be avoided by appropriate institution of rehydration therapy at home.


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