Vomiting in a child

When a child suddenly vomits, it always causes anxiety and worry in his parents. Why can such a symptom occur, is it dangerous and what should parents do to alleviate the condition of a child with vomiting?

What Happens During Vomiting?

Due to the contraction of the diaphragm, the muscles of the stomach and the muscles of the abdominal wall, the contents of the stomach are thrown out through the esophagus and mouth, and can also enter the baby's nose. The child's diaphragm descends, the upper stomach relaxes, and the lower stomach spasms. This is exactly the mechanism for the appearance of vomiting.

This reflex is stimulated by a special "vomiting" center, which is located in the brain. This center is excited by:

Irritation of nerve endings in the stomach (eg, infection, overeating);
Exposure to chemicals (such as drugs in the blood)
The influence of mental factors (for example, reaction to the spectacle, experiences);
Irritation of the receptors of the middle ear (with motion sickness).

When should you see a doctor?

Call a doctor to see a child with vomiting in each case of the appearance of this symptom, since it is better to play it safe and let the pediatrician examine the baby, if it turns out to be not dangerous, than to miss the opportunity to start treatment of a serious illness from its very first manifestations. Also, there are situations in which one cannot hesitate to call a doctor. You should call an ambulance if your child:

Vomiting in a fountain.
Loose stools appeared and the temperature rose.
Vomiting attacks are repeated many times.
Severe abdominal pains appeared.
In the secreted masses, impurities of blood or bile are noticeable.
Disorders of consciousness appeared.
There are symptoms of dehydration.

Assessment of the appearance of vomit

A close examination of the masses that the child has isolated during vomiting helps in identifying the cause of the child's deteriorating condition.

With bile

Such vomit will have a yellow-greenish tint. They appear with repeated episodes of vomiting and are often characteristic of food poisoning and gastroenteritis.

With blood

Blood impurities can be presented:

Veins or a pink tint of the emitted masses. Indicates a slight bleeding from the gastric mucosa, for example, due to gastritis.
Lots of red blood. This is a characteristic sign of bleeding from large vessels in the stomach or esophagus, which is a great danger to the child's life.
A dark shade of vomit (black or brown). It is also a very dangerous symptom of bleeding in the stomach or esophagus. This color is formed when the gastric juice influences the iron in the blood.

Additional symptoms and possible causes, what should I do?

A student may have bouts of vomiting before an intensely disturbing event, such as an exam or performance. Also, at school age, vomiting after breakfast may appear, caused by situations when parents force the child to eat breakfast.

Diagnostics

In determining the cause of vomiting, the doctor's interview of the parents is of great importance, therefore, during communication with the pediatrician, one should accurately answer the following questions:

When was the first episode of vomiting and how many attacks were there in total?
Is there a connection between the appearance of vomiting and food intake?
How much vomit is released, how do they look and are there any impurities in them?
What other symptoms does the baby have?

In addition to a survey to find out the causes of vomiting, the doctor may prescribe the following studies for the baby:

A blood test - to detect signs of an inflammatory process.
Endoscopy and X-ray - to determine the congenital abnormalities of the gastrointestinal tract.

If there is a suspicion that vomiting is caused by brain damage, the child must be examined by a neurologist.

Treatment

The treatment of vomiting is primarily affected by the cause that caused this symptom. If the baby is suspected of acute surgical problems or congenital diseases of the digestive tract, hospitalization in the surgical department is indicated.

What to do before the doctor comes?

An episode of vomiting scares any child, therefore, first of all, you should reassure the baby and constantly stay close to the baby. When the attack is over, wash the child, give him some water to rinse his mouth. If the baby is sleeping or lying down, it is important to prevent stomach contents from entering the respiratory system. To do this, the baby's head must always be turned to one side.

What fluids to give and how often?

Since dehydration is the greatest danger when vomiting occurs, it is important for parents to focus on replenishing the fluid lost by the child's body. It is better to give the baby not water, but pharmaceutical preparations with electrolytes. They are bred in water according to the instructions and given to the baby.

The total amount of fluid given to a child after vomiting is calculated based on the weight of the baby. After each attack, 2 ml of the solution should be given for each kilogram of the child's weight. At the same time, remember that liquid drunk after vomiting in large quantities can provoke a new episode. That is why a child under one year old is given a diluted solution with a pause of 10 minutes, a teaspoon each, and older children - 10 ml each.

The volume of the solution is gradually increased:

In the second hour, every 15 minutes, 10 ml.
In the third hour, every 20 minutes, 15 ml.
From the fourth hour, every half hour, 30 ml.

When vomiting, a child should not be given fruit juices, tea, chicken broth, cow's milk, or rice water or soda. Such drinking can aggravate the baby's condition, since it does not supply the necessary salts to the body. If the baby is breastfeeding, he should often be offered breast or the usual mixture.

Recipes for maintaining water balance

You can make your own baby solder by adding sugar and salt to boiled water. For one liter of water, take 4 to 8 teaspoons of sugar and a teaspoon of salt.

To restore mineral balance and prevent dehydration, you can prepare a drink with honey. In half a glass of warm water, dissolve honey (use 2 tablespoons), baking soda (use a quarter teaspoon) and salt (a pinch is enough). If such a drink is prepared for a baby under one year old, honey can be replaced with sugar.

Medication

The use of medicines in children with vomiting should be prescribed by a doctor. Especially, you should not give your baby antibiotics and medicines for diarrhea, since such drugs, when self-medicated, can do more harm than help the child recover. It is much more important to regulate your drinking regime and prevent dehydration.

The doctor may prescribe zinc preparations to a child with vomiting (studies have confirmed their effectiveness for diarrhea), sorbents and probiotics, as well as other symptomatic agents needed in a particular case.

With persistent vomiting that does not stop for a long time, drugs for vomiting can be used, but they should also be prescribed only by a doctor. Read about vomiting in newborns and infants in another article.

What can’t be done?

You should not try to give the baby a gastric lavage, as in some cases this can increase vomiting and greatly worsen the condition of the baby.
Do not give your child anti-vomiting drugs, as well as other medicines, before the doctor examines the baby.
It is forbidden to give the baby a solution of potassium permanganate for drinking, since you can make a mistake with the concentration or poorly dissolve the crystals, causing the child to burn the mucous membrane.