Help - food/drink for child throwing up

[niccig]

You would think I would know this, but DS is 3.5yo and never has thrown up, either than baby spit up. He started this afternoon at school and has thrown up 4 times - last two were just the little bit of water I got him to drink after we got home. What should I do, so he doesn't get dehydrated etc. He doesn't have a fever.

[bubbaray]

Awww, poor guy!

We do pedialyte, 5ml every 15min. Once they can keep that down for an hour or so, we try water (neither of my girls like pediatlyte AT ALL).

Not recommended by drs, but we've also used Gatorade. I *know* pedialyte is better, but when you've had it spit back at you b/c they refuse it, its better than nothing....

No solids until they've been puke-free for at least 2 hours. We also do the BRAT diet for the next 24hrs. No dairy and only bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. Some dr's say its not necessary, but we've had success with it.

HTH!

[brittone2]

I'm so sorry your little one is going through this. I'll be thinking of him.

Dr. Sears has pretty specific recommendations for slowly getting fluids in, etc. on his site:
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/T083300.asp

[niccig]

Thanks. I'll tell DH to stop for pedialyte or gatorade. It's only been 2 hours since it started. I'll wait a little longer to try a little liquid. He likes ice, maybe I can get him to chew on some.

At least, since we've been home, he's made it to the toilet both times. I have some other child's nap mat to clean (he didn't throw up on his own) and the car seat and car. He's fine between throwing up, talking etc, but we've just veging out in front of the TV.

[Twoboos]

Oh how I hate the puking!!

Get some pedialyte, start with small amts (like a tblspn) every 15mins. If he throws it up, wait a while (I think an hr?) and try again. Then slowly introduce water. There are also pedialyte freeze pops, which my DDs will eat even when not sick!! :)

As far as food. People now say whatever he is asking for. But I still follow the BRATY diet (Banana, rice, applesauce, white toast, yogurt) and in little bits. Not dehydrating is more important than eating at this point, imo. (DH STILL does not get this and will try to feed them while puking, it makes me nuts.)

Hope he's better soon. Hang in there!

[bubbaray]

We've had success with pedialyte freezies/pops. HIGHLY recommend those with older kiddos.

I'd have your DH buy a bottle of pedialyte (small bottle if he can find it), a box of the pops and some Gatorade just in case.

[WatchingThemGrow]

At the drugstore, but not at the grocery, I found the pedialyte popsicles, which were a much bigger hit than the drink.

Also, my DD ate popsicles and drank chicken noodle soup through a straw, which the ped says was better than just ice/water.

[elephantmeg]

cover all the sofa with beach towels! Try to avoid red jello or pedialyte-it stains worse. When he starts feeling better and keeping down fluids try toast, applesauce, bananas and yogurt.

[hillview]

My doc office says this (this JUST happened to us and we were in Colorado at altitude so I called b/c I am a phreak :) )
with pedialyte or gatorade
do a teaspoon every 15 mins for 3 hrs
then do 2 tbs for another 2 hours
then add toast or crackers as tolerated.

I don't usually follow this exactly -- i do it for an hour or so and usually ds is feeling better and then i do say 1/4 cup and then move to crackers within a couple of hours.

YMMV

Hope you are all better soon!
/hillary

[HannaAddict]

Poor guy. You should hold off on everything, even water and Pedialyte for at least a couple of hours if he is throwing up continuously. His body needs a chance to regroup and even small amounts of fluid can make him throw up and lead to greater dehydration than nothing. Especially since he doesn't have a fever, he will be okay without anything for a couple or few hours. Maybe you can get him to sleep? It is hard, my guy cried for water even when he couldn't keep a teaspoonful down. I relented earlier than the pediatrician said to but used ice chips at first. You can use Gatorade but it has too much sugar and sugar can cause more stomach upset so water down the Gatorade quite a bit. Mine won't drink Pedialyte, except for super cold apple flavor and then only when he is totally desperate. After the fasting, do as other posters suggested and start with just a teaspoon or tablespoon at a time. When you reintroduce food, the latest trend is to let them go back to their regular diet versus rice, BRAT, etc. We do crackers, sometimes toast but even yogurt. I know yogurt is not supposed to be good for this, but it has been fine for my guy and what he seems to crave when he's been throwing up. We made it until he was two before he threw up, then had an uneventful three year old year but last fall he got hit a few times. Hope you guy is on the mend soon.

[ThreeofUs]

All great suggestions - only one add. Pedialyte frozen can be chopped up into chips and served on a spoon, too. Our DS adores this "treat" - and the freezing sure cuts down on the salty taste.

[o_mom]

The standard advice is to wait 1-2 hours after each vomit to resume fluids and then give 1-2 oz at a time, etc. However, I have never been able to find any research that backs this up.

That said, I let them have whatever they want that will come up easy and not stain. I try to encourage slow sipping or put ice in the sippy cup so they don't gulp it down, but I don't restrict the amount they can have.

Seriously, I've had dry heaves myself and they SUCK. It is 1000 times worse to vomit up a tiny bit of spit than soda crackers and gatorade. Not to mention, being so thirsty and dry-mouthed and not being able to drink seems like torture (remember those ice chips in labor - fat lot of good they did).

I have done it both ways - no fluids for an hour after vomiting followed by 1 tsp every 15 min, etc. I have done completely unrestricted and it really doesn't seem to make a bit of difference for my kids - they vomit until the virus runs its course and then stop. The time we actually got in trouble and had to go to the ER for dehydration was when we followed the restrictions because the vomiting was so frequent he basically had no fluids for 12-18 hours (because it was never 1-2 hours after a vomit) and we couldn't get back on top of it after that.

Anyway, just my $0.02 - I hope your little guy feels better!

[niccig]

Thanks everyone.
We may be fine. About 2 hours ago, DS sat up on the couch and wanted to play, I tried to restrict running and jumping, but he seems like his normal self. He said he was hungry and ate toast, 1/2 apple and then asked for another piece of bread. I'm worried that it's too much food, but nearly an hour later, he's still OK. DH is bringing him pedialyte, and even if we don't need it, we'll have it for next time. I'll watch him tonight and tomorrow and see how it goes.

Off to finish cleaning the car seat....