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My Child Has Vomiting and Diarrhoea - What Do I Do?
Recognising the Symptoms
Vomiting and diarrhoea are common symptoms in children and can be caused by a variety of factors such as viral infections, food poisoning, and sometimes medications. It's crucial to monitor the symptoms closely. If your child is displaying persistent vomiting, frequent loose stools, abdominal pain, or signs of dehydration, it's time to take action.Hydration is Key
One of the main concerns with vomiting and diarrhoea is dehydration. Ensure your child stays hydrated by offering small sips of rehydration solutions like Dioralyte, available at UK pharmacies. Avoid giving sugary drinks or milk, as these can worsen the symptoms. Encourage your child to take small, frequent sips of water or oral rehydration salts (ORS) every few minutes.Monitor for Dehydration
Signs of dehydration in children include dry mouth, no tears when crying, sunken eyes, and reduced frequency of urination. If you notice any of these signs, it's important to seek medical advice. NHS guidelines also recommend checking for lethargic or irritable behaviour as a sign of dehydration.Dietary Adjustments
While your child is recovering, gradually reintroduce bland, easy-to-digest foods like bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast (known as the BRAT diet). Avoid fatty, spicy, or dairy-rich foods until symptoms fully resolve. Start with small portions and increase as tolerance improves.When to Seek Medical Attention
If vomiting and diarrhoea persist for more than 24-48 hours, or if your child is under six months old, consult your GP or the NHS 111 service. Severe symptoms such as blood in vomit or stools, a swollen abdomen, or persistent high fever warrant immediate medical attention.Preventing Spread
Vomiting and diarrhoea, especially if caused by a virus, can be highly contagious. Ensure good hygiene practices by frequent handwashing with soap, especially after bathroom use and before meals. Disinfect common touch surfaces and keep the sick child away from siblings to prevent spreading.Post-Recovery Care
Once your child begins to feel better, continue to monitor their hydration and nutrition intake. Gradually reintroduce normal foods and ensure they get plenty of rest. Maintain good hygiene practices to prevent recurrence. Remember, while it can be worrying to see your child unwell, these symptoms are usually manageable at home with proper care. Always follow NHS guidelines and don’t hesitate to seek professional medical advice if needed.My Child Has Vomiting and Diarrhoea - What Should I Do?
Spotting the Symptoms
Vomiting and diarrhoea happen a lot with kids. They can be caused by bugs, bad food, or medicine. Watch your child closely. If they keep throwing up, have lots of runny poo, tummy pain, or are very thirsty, you need to help them.Keep Them Hydrated
Vomiting and diarrhoea can make your child very thirsty. Make sure they drink little sips often. Use drinks like Dioralyte from the pharmacy. Don't give sugary drinks or milk. These can make it worse. Have them drink water or oral rehydration salts (ORS) a little bit every few minutes.Look Out for Dehydration
If your child is very thirsty, has a dry mouth, no tears, eyes that look sunken, or doesn't pee much, they might be dehydrated. If you see these signs, talk to a doctor. If your child is very tired or cranky, this might also mean they need water.Changing Their Diet
When your child starts to get better, give them foods that are easy to digest. Good foods are bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. These are part of the BRAT diet. Don't give them fatty or spicy foods yet. Start with small amounts and give more as they get better.When to Call a Doctor
If the vomiting and diarrhoea keep going for more than 1-2 days, call your doctor. If your child is very little (under six months), ask a doctor for help. If there is blood in their vomit or poo, if their tummy is big, or if they have a high fever, see a doctor right away.Stop the Spread
If a bug is causing the sickness, it can spread easily. Make sure everyone washes their hands with soap a lot, especially after using the bathroom and before eating. Clean things that everyone touches. Keep the sick child away from others to stop them from getting sick too.Taking Care After They're Better
When your child feels better, keep making sure they drink and eat well. Slowly give them normal foods again. Make sure they get lots of rest. Keep washing hands and being clean to stop them from getting sick again. Remember, it can be scary when your child is sick, but you can handle this at home with care. Always listen to NHS advice and talk to a doctor if you need help.Frequently Asked Questions
Ensure they stay hydrated by giving them small sips of water or an oral rehydration solution (ORS). Avoid giving sugary drinks or fruit juices.
Seek medical advice if your child shows signs of dehydration, has a high fever, persistent vomiting, blood in their stool, severe abdominal pain, or if symptoms last more than a few days.
Signs of dehydration in children include dry mouth, sunken eyes, lethargy, decreased urine output, and crying without producing tears.
Start with bland foods like bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast (the BRAT diet) once they can tolerate fluids. Avoid dairy, fatty, or spicy foods initially.
Consult your GP or pharmacist before giving any medication. Over-the-counter anti-diarrhoeal medications are generally not recommended for young children.
Ensure your child washes their hands frequently with soap and water. Disinfect surfaces and objects they touch. Keep them home from school or nursery until at least 48 hours after symptoms have stopped.
Common causes include viral infections (like norovirus or rotavirus), bacterial infections, food poisoning, and occasionally, side effects from medications.
It's usually best to avoid dairy products until the diarrhoea has resolved, as they can be harder to digest. Consider lactose-free options or consult your doctor.
Most children begin to feel better within a few days, but it's essential to monitor for signs of dehydration and ensure they rehydrate properly.
Yes, to prevent spreading infection, keep your child away from others until they've been symptom-free for at least 48 hours.
While often not serious, dehydration is a major risk. Prompt rehydration and monitoring are crucial. If you’re concerned about your child’s condition, seek medical advice.
Offer small, frequent sips of fluids. The exact amount varies by age and size, but aim to keep your child drinking regularly. Oral rehydration solutions are particularly effective.
Yes, continue breastfeeding if possible. Breast milk provides essential nutrients and antibodies that can help your child recover.
Avoid fatty, greasy, or spicy foods, as well as fruit juices and carbonated drinks, which can worsen diarrhoea.
The BRAT diet consists of bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. It can help ease symptoms by providing bland, easy-to-digest foods.
Make sure they drink enough water. Give them small sips of water. You can also use a special drink called oral rehydration solution (ORS).
Do not give them sugary drinks or fruit juices.
If your child is very thirsty, has a high fever, keeps throwing up, has blood in their poop, bad tummy ache, or if they don't feel better in a few days, call a doctor.
Signs that a child is not getting enough water are:
- Dry mouth
- Eyes look sunken
- Very tired or sleepy
- Peeing less
- Crying without tears
If you notice these signs, give the child water or a drink with fluids. You can talk to a doctor if you are worried.
When you start eating again, try soft foods. You can eat bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. These foods are easy on the tummy. Stay away from milk, cheese, fatty foods, or anything spicy at first.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before giving medicine. Medicine you can buy without a prescription is usually not good for young children with diarrhea.
Make sure your child washes their hands a lot using soap and water. Clean things they touch, like tables and toys. Keep them home from school or nursery until at least 2 days after they feel better.
Some things can make you sick. These include catching a virus (like norovirus or rotavirus), getting a bacterial infection, eating bad food, or sometimes taking certain medicines.
When you have diarrhoea, it's a good idea to stay away from milk and cheese. They might be hard for your tummy to handle. You can try milk without lactose or talk to your doctor for help.
Most children start to feel better after a few days. It is very important to make sure they drink enough water so they don't get dehydrated.
Yes, keep your child at home until they feel better for 2 days. This is to stop germs from spreading to other people.
Dehydration can happen when you don't drink enough water. It is important to drink water and watch how you feel. If you think your child is not feeling well, talk to a doctor.
Give your child small sips of drinks often. How much they need to drink can change depending on their age and size. Try to make sure they have something to drink regularly. Drinks called oral rehydration solutions can help a lot.
Yes, keep breastfeeding if you can. Breast milk has important nutrients and antibodies that help your child get better.
Do not eat foods that are oily, fried, or very spicy. Also, do not drink fruit juices and fizzy drinks because they can make diarrhea worse.
The BRAT diet is made up of four foods: bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. These foods are gentle on the stomach and can help if you're feeling sick.
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