Brief overview
- What to do in case of vomiting in babies and toddlers: give fluids, rinse mouth after vomiting, cool forehead, hold child upright while vomiting.
- When to see a doctor? At best always, but in any case in case of persistent vomiting, additional diarrhea or fever, refusal to drink, and in very young infants.
- Vomiting in babies and toddlers – risks: Risk of dehydration due to excessive loss of fluid.
Caution.
- Fluid loss during vomiting can make infants lethargic and sleepy. This may cause them to oversleep meals and take in too little fluid. It’s a vicious cycle that can end in shock.
- Gush-like vomiting in babies (0 to 3 months) shortly after a meal combined with failure to thrive indicates narrowing of the stomach outlet (pyloric stenosis).
Vomiting in baby and child: what to do?
Recommended first aid measures for vomiting in infant or baby are:
Replace lost fluid
Especially in the case of vomiting with diarrhea, the body can lose a lot of fluid as well as electrolytes (sodium, potassium, etc.). Then the administration of special electrolyte solutions from the pharmacy (WHO drinking solution of glucose and salts) is advisable.
Home remedy
Even in infancy, a thin carrot soup (carrot is also good against diarrhea), which you give pureed, lightly salted and sugared in small portions, has proven to be effective – if your child likes to eat anything at all and does not vomit it all up again right away (see below).
If your child has just vomited, you can put a cool cloth on his forehead (if that seems comfortable to him) – it can relieve the nausea and dizziness that often comes with vomiting.
Give little or nothing to eat
An irritated stomach should not be burdened with food or at most with light food such as rusks. So it doesn’t matter if your child doesn’t eat anything for some time when vomiting – it is more important that he or she drinks enough fluids!
How can I tell if my child is lacking fluids?
If a child vomits frequently, his or her body can quickly become dehydrated. This happens especially quickly in infants, which can make it dangerous within a very short time. Here’s how to tell if your child has developed a fluid deficiency as a result of vomiting (and possibly diarrhea).
- Pay attention to how often your child empties his or her bladder (on the toilet or in the diaper). Decreased urination indicates dehydration.
- A sign of insufficient fluid is also when your child cries without tears coming.
- A moist pink oral mucosa, moist tongue and saliva in the mouth indicate that the child’s body has enough fluid. In contrast, dry, pale mucous membranes and a lack of saliva indicate a deficit.
Vomiting in babies and children: When to see a doctor?
If a baby or toddler vomits without showing any other symptoms, there is usually no reason to worry. It has probably just eaten too quickly or too much in a mess, or had a cold drink or a bad food. Anticipation or other exciting experiences can also cause little ones to vomit.
- The child vomits repeatedly even after six hours.
- The child refuses to drink.
- The baby is younger than six months.
- The baby appears inconsolable or irritable.
- The fontanelles (soft areas between the bones of the skull) protrude or appear sunken.
- Vomiting in infant or baby is accompanied by fever and/or diarrhea.
- Your child or baby vomits repeatedly, appears sick, but you cannot identify a cause (such as stomach flu).
- Your child has severe abdominal pain.
- Your child seems noticeably apathetic and quiet.
- The baby or toddler vomits at night or shortly after getting up (sober).
- The child vomits blood or the vomit resembles coffee grounds or is bright green.
Vomiting in baby and child: risks
Vomiting in babies and children: examinations by the doctor
When you take your child to the doctor, he or she will first ask about the exact symptoms and medical history (anamnesis). Important questions include:
- When did the child start vomiting?
- How often has he or she vomited so far?
- What does the vomit look like?
- How does the child vomit (in a gush, stream, etc.)?
- Is there a pattern? For example, does the infant’s vomiting occur at night or at certain times of the day or after eating certain foods?
- Is the child consuming fluids?
- Have you been traveling recently or has the child recently been injured (fall, accident)?
In certain cases, further examinations are necessary. If a fluid deficiency is suspected, the doctor will draw some blood from the child and have it analyzed in the laboratory. The concentration of electrolytes will show whether the child is dehydrated and, if so, how severely. If the doctor suspects a specific condition behind the vomiting, such as a metabolic disorder, specific blood tests can provide certainty.
Vomiting in babies and children: treatment by the doctor
Prevent vomiting in babies and children
It is often not possible to prevent a baby or toddler from vomiting – for example, if a viral infection (such as gastroenteritis) is the trigger. In certain cases, however, vomiting in babies and toddlers can be prevented:
- Travel nausea: Do not let the child watch a book or a movie in the vehicle. Seat him or her so that he or she can look out the window and, if necessary, get special chewing gum for travel sickness. Provide fresh air and take regular breaks from driving if possible.
- Excitement: Try to calm your child down during exciting experiences or events. Take him or her in your arms and talk to him or her calmly. This can prevent excitement-induced vomiting in a toddler or baby.
