Vomiting and Diarrhea in Children

When a child passes watery stool for 3 or more number of times in one given day and is accompanied by vomiting, then it becomes a matter of concern for the parents. Vomiting and diarrhea is not a serious issue if it lasts for one or two days. However, if it continues beyond that, then there is a chance of dehydration which can be life-threatening. Basically, vomiting or diarrhea is not a disease in itself. Both of them are symptoms of a number of illnesses that can affect small children. It occurs when the body tries to eliminate some unwanted stuff.

Causes

The most commonly found causes behind vomiting and diarrhea in children is an infection in gastrointestinal tract which triggered by virus. This is also known as gastroenteritis or stomach flu. This virus is highly infectious in nature and it spreads easily from an infected person to others through direct or indirect contact. Other symptoms of this viral infection are abdominal cramps, swollen abdomen, fever, headache and loss of appetite. When bacteria enters the gastrointestinal tract due to consumption of contaminated food or water and causes food poisoning, then also similar kind of symptoms are observed. Eating of wrong kind of foods like uncooked fish or meat or overconsumption of foods can be responsible for such type of stomach problems. Food allergies and food intolerance often causes child vomiting and diarrhea without fever.

Treatment

When your child is suffering from vomiting and diarrhea, you must take some quick simple measures at home. Firstly, do not give the child any solid food to eat for 3-4 hours. This will give the much-needed rest to the stomach. Confine the child in one room and ask them to take rest. Use a disinfectant in the bathroom after the child uses the toilet. Thus you can prevent spread of harmful germs to other members of the family.

The most vital step is to replenish the lost fluids and keep the body hydrated. Oral rehydration solution or ORS is highly beneficial for treating stomach problems in children. It can be safely given to babies and even breastfeeding infants. You can get it from local drug stores and grocery stores. Mix the powder in some water and let your child take it in small sips after frequent interval of time. It contains right amount of sugar, salt, potassium and other valuable nutrient which are essential to keep the child nourished and hydrated. In absence of ORS, you can 8 teaspoon of sugar and one teaspoon of salt in 4 cups of water and give it to the child as an alternative.

When there is excessive diarrhea, then you must be extra careful and check out for signs of dehydration. Excessive thirst, dry mouth, low or no urine output, no tears while crying are some of the key symptoms of dehydration in children. In such cases, the child should be hospitalized and intravenous fluids are administered for rehydration. Usually, small children do not require any medicines to stop diarrhea. However, chronic vomiting and diarrhea need some medicinal treatment.

As the vomiting and diarrhea subsides, you can increase the quantity of fluid. Now, you can give other clear fluids like plain water, clear soup, apple juice, etc. For the next few days, bland foods are recommended. It includes banana, rice, applesauce and toast. No fatty foods or dairy products for now as they tend to irritate the stomach and induce diarrhea and vomiting all over again.

Vomiting and diarrhea in children tend to make them extremely weak. So, their body must get sufficient rest in order to recover from it. It should be followed by a nutrient rich diet that can improve their digestive health and prevent recurrence of diarrhea and vomiting.