Vomiting

What is vomiting

• The forceful emptying (throwing up) of a large portion of the stomach's contents. 
• Nausea and abdominal discomfort usually precede each bout of vomiting. 

Causes of vomiting

• Viral Gastritis: Stomach infection from a stomach virus. Also called stomach flu. The illness starts with vomiting. Watery stools may follow within 12-24 hours. The most common cause. 
• Food Poisoning: This causes rapid vomiting within hours of eating the bad food. Diarrhea may follow. Caused by toxins from germs growing in foods left out too long. 
• Ibuprofen: Ibuprofen products (such as Advil) can be a stomach irritant. If taken on an empty stomach, they can cause vomiting. 
• Food Allergy: Vomiting can be the only symptom of a food reaction. The vomiting comes on quickly after eating the food. Common foods are peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish. 
• Coughing: Hard coughing can also cause your child to throw up. Thus is more common in children with reflux. 
• Motion Sickness: Vomiting and dizziness are triggered by motion. Seasickness or fun-park ride sickness are the most common types. 
• Migraine Headache: In children, most migraine headaches also have vomiting. 

Home care advice

• Formula-Fed Infants: For vomiting once, continue regular formula. For vomiting more than once, offer ORS (Pedialyte) for 8 hours. 
  • spoon or syringe feed small amounts of ORS: 1-2 teaspoons (5-10 mL) every 5 minutes. After 4 hours without vomiting, double the amount. 
• Breastfed Infants: For vomiting once, nurse 1 side every 1 to 2 hours. For vomiting more than once, nurse for 5 minutes every 30 to 60 minutes. 
  • If vomiting, continues switch to pumped breast milk: 1-2 teaspoons (5-10 mL) every 5 minutes. 
• Bottle-Fed Infants: For vomiting once, give half the regular amount every 1-2 hours. For vomiting more than once within the last 2 hours, give 1 ounce (30 mL) every 30-60 minutes. 
  • If vomiting continues, give 1-2 teaspoons (5-10 mL) every 5 minutes. If not tolerating breast milk switch to ORS (Pedialyte). After 4 hours without vomiting, return to regular feedings. Start with 1 ounce (30 mL) every 30 minutes and slowly increase as tolerated. 
• Children older than 1 years old: Offer small amounts of clear liquids for 8 hours. 
• Avoid all solid food (and baby foods) in kids who are vomiting. 
• Avoid all nonessential medicines for 8 hours. 
• Help your child go to sleep for a few hours. 

When to call the office

• Vomiting becomes severe (vomits everything) over 8 hours. 
• Vomiting persists over 24 hours. 
• Signs of dehydration. 
• Blood in vomit or diarrhea. 
• Diarrhea becomes severe. 
• Your child becomes worse.