Question:
My child has had vomiting and diarrhea since last night. What do I do?
Definition:
Vomiting is a forceful emptying of stomach contents and is often associated with diarrhea. Loosely defined diarrhea as loose or watery stool which is frequenlty associated with an increase in stool frequency. The cause of such symptoms can is usually viral but there are times when the symptoms present with other illnesses. The main concern with vomiting and diarrhea is dehydration from the loss of too much body fluid.
Symptoms of dehydration are:
no urine output in more than 6 hours, absence of tears, and dry mouth.
Treatment:
Should be approached with the goal to maintain a positive fluid balance.
Infants (younger than 1 year of age):
Avoid fruits/fruit juices and encourage pedialyte in small frequent amounts (usually 1 ounce every 30 minutes and increase as tolerated). If your child is older than 4 months and taking solids, give a gland diet (ie. Toast, cereal, bananas).
Children (older than 1 year of age):
Avoid fruits/fruity juices and spicy foods, encourage gatorade/pedialyte in small frequent amounts (usually 1 ounce every 30 minutes and increase as tolerated), and start bland diet as tolerated (saltine crackers, dried cereals, rice, mashed potatoes, bananas). For vomiting you can try over-the-counter Emetrol Liquid which may help with nausea. If child has diarrhea you can also offer Lactinex granules to encourage recolonization of healthy bacteria in the gut.
When to Call:
- If infant is younger than two months and has had three or more episodes of vomiting or diarrhea
- If there has been no urine output in more than 6 hours
- If there is blood in the vomit or diarrhea
- If there is persistent abdominal pain for more than 2 hours
- If child has a stiff neck or infant has a bulging soft spot
- If signs of dehydration are present
- If no improvement or worsening of symptoms with home care
