Baby vomiting

Definition

Vomiting in babies is harmless in most cases and serves to protect the child’s body and especially the digestive tract from invading harmful pathogens or substances. When vomiting, the stomach contents are emptied again by spitting them out. In the first few weeks, babies vomit very often, as they first have to get used to eating.

A distinction must be made in babies between normal spitting after meals and proper vomiting. Vomiting can also be caused by an organic disease or a disturbance in the brain. Repeated vomiting can become a major problem due to a loss of water, acid and salt.

Causes

The occurrence of vomiting in babies can have various causes. In most cases, vomiting occurs as a result of an upper respiratory or digestive tract infection. Lack of hygiene, in the form of dirty milk bottles, can also be a trigger.

Other causes of vomiting can also be poisoning in the form of tablets or other toxic substances. The color of the vomit can also give an indication of the possible cause. If the vomit is acidic, this is an indication that the cause is in the region of the stomach, in the form of an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach or a reflux of stomach acid.

If the vomit has a greenish-brownish color, it may come from the large intestine and possibly a narrowing of the small intestine. Mucilaginous or bloody vomit may be a sign of injury to the upper digestive tract or bronchitis. If the vomit smells foul and contains faeces, this may indicate an intestinal obstruction.

Surge vomiting is a sign of pyloric stenosis, i.e. a narrowing of the stomach outlet. In rare cases, a defect in the vomiting center may occur as part of a central regulatory disorder. In addition, pathological processes in the brain, such as inflammations, tumors or the presence of an epileptic disease can also trigger recurrent vomiting.

Also in the context of dentition, food vomiting can occur in the baby. When the first teeth come through, the baby’s gums are clearly tense, sensitive and cause pain. During feeding, the additional strain on the oral mucosa and gums can lead to the baby spitting out the food. The babies are very restless, cannot take in much food and the resulting pain when sucking can cause nausea. In most cases, vomiting in the context of the teeth can be described as increased spitting out of the food.