Vomiting:
Vomiting is often a frightening and exhausting illness for young children. Vomiting in children is most often due to an abdominal infection. Very rarely it could be due to some other reasons. Most of the times though, vomiting can be managed at home only.

What to do?

• Avoid solid and heavy food.
• Even water is to be rationed, depending upon how much the kid is accepting.
• If the child also has associated diarrhoea which is often the case in tropical countries, use of Oral Rehydration Salt is highly recommended. These are especially made formulations which replace the electrolytes lost by the body during vomiting and diarrhea.
• Rest the stomach. Try to wait for a few hours, and then offer small sips of water, ice chips, or a cold, wet washcloth to suck.
• If sips of water are not tolerated then it is advised to consult your doctor.
• If sips of water are tolerated, then the amount of liquid intake should be increased. Coconut water, sweetened lime juice in water with ice (shikanji) can be given. Avoid using milk, milk products and carbonated drinks.
• Start giving foods gradually. Wait for the child to ask for food and you can give the child lentil gruel and plain rice with curd. Avoid spicy foods.

When to call a doctor?
The greatest risk of vomiting due to gastroenteritis is dehydration. Young children as compared to adults have little capacity to bear the loss of water and electrolytes from the body. Call your doctor if your child shows following signs of dehydration.

• The child has diarrhea and refuses fluids.
• is not urinating.
• cries without tears.
• has a dry mouth or seems confused.

You should also call the doctor if vomiting persists for more than two days, which increases the risk of dehydration.
The following symptoms may indicate a condition more serious than gastroenteritis and requires immediate medical attention.

• Projectile vomiting in an infant- forceful vomiting. In this the vomit is thrown at a distance.
• Vomiting accompanied by fever.
• Repeated vomiting of green or yellow bile.
• Vomit resembles coffee grounds.
• Vomiting blood.
• Vomiting following head injury.
• Specially in tropical countries dehydration can come very quickly and also the amount of fluid.

Suggested Reading -
Childhood infections - pneumonia to pink eye - Childhood brings with it many common infections and illnesses. Get practical tips on how to recognize and handle there.

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