Vomiting in children is most often due to an intestinal virus. Most viruses are accompanied by diarrhea. Vomiting with an intestinal virus seldom lasts longer than 24 hours.
If your child develops nausea and vomiting, provide them with frequent, small amounts (1-2 tablespoons every 15 minutes) of clear liquid, such as Pedialyte, Ricelyte or Kao-lectrolyte. When your child has had no vomiting for 6 hours, you can start solids beginning with easily digested food such as crackers, soup and toast. Call us immediately if the material vomited is bright yellow or pea-green in color on more than one or two occasions; the vomit contains a moderate to large amount of blood; the child is very sleepy and difficult to arouse, especially if he has a high fever; there are signs of dehydration, such as a dry, sticky tongue and mouth. Vomiting which has lasted less than 24 hours is not usually associated with severe dehydration. Call us promptly during regular office hours if your child otherwise appears well, but the vomiting has lasted longer than 24 hours