All about vomiting

Vomiting in young babies and small children is not rare. Vomiting is very common during early weeks when you have just introduced solids into their diet. But if your baby looks happy and healthy, you should stay assured that nothing is serious.

Vomits can be either of the following three:

Spitting up:

• Young babies tend to spit up milk or solids as soon as they are fed.
• This is normal and there is nothing to worry about if the content that they spit is less.
• As the oesophagus of children is still developing, milk can leak back up after a feed and come out of the baby's mouth or nose.

This kind of vomiting resolves on its own as the baby grows and his/her digestive system matures. In case of frequent vomiting, paediatrician’s prescribed oral hydration solutions should be used.

Reflux vomiting:

This is due to the gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Factors like obesity, eating spicy food, excess caffeine intake, overeating also contribute to GERD. Little tips to avoid or reduce reflux:

• Hold and feed your baby while (s)he is seated or in an upright position. Avoid feeding baby in a lying down position.
• Feed your child in smaller portions.
• Ensure that your baby doesn’t jump or bounce immediately after eating food.
• Give your baby milk or water after feeding to reduce acid or indigestion.
• Avoid giving spicy or fried food to your child.

Projectile vomiting:

Projectile vomiting is when the entire amount of last feed is forcefully vomited out. This could be due to a blockage caused by thickening of the muscle of the stomach. It could be due to some gastric infection or even the common cold.

In any case, do not give over-the-counter medication to your baby. Consult your child’s paediatrician as early as possible.

Causes of vomiting:

• Stress
• Motion sickness
• Gastroentritis (also known as stomach flu; caused by viruses)
• Food poisoning
• Food allergy
• Concussion
• Migraine

You should consult the doctor in the following conditions:

• Vomiting for more than 12 hours.
• Blood or bile in the vomit.
• If your baby is losing weight or not gaining weight.
• If there is persistent indigestion.
• If the baby generally seems unwell.
• If the baby remains fatigued all the time.

Diagnosis: Physical examination, medical history, and in some cases blood tests help with the cause of vomiting.

Treatment and Remedies:

Give doctor's prescribed oral electrolyte solutions (ORS) to prevent dehydration and loss of nutrients in children.

Usually medicines are not prescribed unless it's stomach flu.

Do not give your child milk or milk products.

Give them liquid diet. Example - fruit juices diluted with water, broth of vegetable or pulses (consult your child's paediatrician first).

Prevention:

• Develop regular habit of washing hands in your child.
• Check the food ingredients to see that the food doesn't have anything that might trigger your child's allergy.
• Store and cook food properly to avoid the chances of food poisoning.

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