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Promoting Healthy Lifestyles for our Patients and Families |
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Dekalb Pediatric Center 404-508-1177 |
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To contact us: |
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Vomiting and Diarrhea |
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Vomiting: It is hard to get through childhood without at least one sickness with vomiting as a symptom. Most often it is caused by a self limiting stomach virus. Other causes in infants include: other infections, reflux, milk intolerance, food allergy, abdominal obstruction, and accidental ingestions. In older kids other infections, food poisoning, migraine headaches, strep throat are other possibilities. Clues that a virus is to blame include accompanying fever, diarrhea, stomachache/nausea, and known exposure. As with other childhood illnesses it is important to look at the bigger picture—how the child is acting, whether there are any signs of dehydration or any other more serious illness to help decide if the vomiting needs more medical attention, or whether home care is appropriate. A few episodes of isolated vomiting is not reason to panic! Read more about vomiting here. Call us for: · Vomiting longer than 24 hours · Blood or bile in the vomit (yellow or green) · Severe abdominal pain · Headache and stiff neck · Signs of dehydration
Signs of dehydration include: · Increased thirst · Infrequent urination, or dark yellow urine · Dry mouth · Eyes that appear sunken · Crying without tears · Loss of normal skin elasticity (if you touch or squeeze the skin, it doesn't bounce back the way it usually does)
You should also call if: · Your child is lethargic or has marked irritability. · An infant vomits repeatedly, especially if diarrhea is also present. · A child is unable to retain any fluids for 8 hours or more. · Vomiting is recurrent.
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Diarrhea:
Acute diarrhea is one of the most common childhood symptoms and although it can be very annoying it in itself is rarely serious, is self limited and is almost always caused by an infection. Diarrhea is loose, watery, frequent stools, typically lasting 3-5 days with most viruses. It often takes weeks for the stools to return completely to normal. As with vomiting the key is to avoid dehydration by giving enough liquids and then solid foods. If too much is given you may see more bowel movements, but this is better than giving too little and ending up with dehydration. Read more about childhood diarrhea. Call us for: · Diarrhea lasting longer than 5 days · Blood or pus in the stool · Severe abdominal pain · Lethargy or high temperature · Signs of dehydration
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Dehydration is the main concern with most vomiting. How fast you become dehydrated depends on your age, size, frequency of vomiting, and whether you also have diarrhea. |
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Vomiting and diarrhea in a small infant requires close monitoring to avoid dehydration. |
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Remember the number of times your child vomits, or the number of loose stools is only important if there are signs of dehydration.
It is important to stay hydrated. For infants, give steady, small amounts of clear liquids, such as electrolyte solutions (Pedialyte), (1-2 teaspoons (5-10ml)every 5 minutes for the first 4 hours.
Other clear liquids- such as water, ice chips, ginger ale, or sprite may work for older kids. Give 2-3 teaspoons(10-15ml) every 5 minutes. For breastfed babies, breast milk is usually best.
For vomiting, continue the small sips for 4 hours. If there is no vomiting increase the amount of fluids after 4 hours. If there are no signs of dehydration you may let the tummy rest for awhile. Avoid solid foods until there has been no vomiting for at least eight hours, and then work slowly back to a normal diet. For diarrhea without vomiting, clear liquids often work best initially, but formula, or breast milk may be offered early on. Spread out the feeds every few hours to allow the GI tract time to heal in between feedings. Advance back to milk and solid foods. Sometimes it can take days or weeks after a virus to get back on a formula or milk with lactose in it.
Active cultures of beneficial bacteria (probiotics) make diarrhea less severe and shorten its duration. Probiotics can be found in yogurt with active or live cultures and in supplements.
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