Toddler Vomiting and Diarrhea?

Updated on April 26, 2015
J.L. asks from Lima, OH
3 answers

My three and a half year old has vomited a few times in the past few days and has had diarrhea a few times. She never gives any signs that she's feeling ill until she vomits, and afterwards, she is happy and hyper like she always is. The diarrhea doesn't even seen to phase her. She also has been chewing her fingers a lot, towards the back of her mouth. Could this just be a bug of some sort? I'm trying to set up a doctor's appointment for some time this week, but I want to see if any mommies have suggestions on what this might be. Also, the vomiting only seems to happen at night. I'm baffled and worried as I'm a first time mama. Help, please?

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D.B.

answers from Boston on

It sounds typical for a low-grade virus - it starts in the stomach (vomiting) and then works its way down into the intestine (diarrhea). If they don't get a really strong strain of it, they can certainly run around and seem fine until another bout hits.

The standard treatment is fluids and very little food until there has been no vomiting. No fluids for 1 hour after vomiting, then ice chips or maybe a popsicle (something to eat slowly). You can try flat ginger ale - the ginger can be soothing to an upset stomach. Try the natural food section of the market for ginger ale with no high fructose corn syrup, just regular sugar. No diet soda, no Coke. Stir until flat.

Once vomiting is under control or there has been nothing for 3 hours, try the BRAT diet - bananas, rice, applesauce, toast (with at most a tiny amount of real jam/preserves). No dairy, no fruit, no high fiber foods, until the diarrhea is under control. Water in between very small servings - no full plates. A little every hour. No fruit juice, no milk. Please understand that she will resist this and argue with you. She will be hungry. Stand firm!

My guess is that the doctor will say "I don't know. There's a virus going around." There is no treatment for a virus - just push water to keep her from getting dehydrated from vomiting and diarrhea, and try to keep her calmed down.

I know it doesn't seem to faze her but she will recover faster if you can get some rest in there!

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J.C.

answers from Philadelphia on

Sounds like a run of the mill virus and nothing serious at all. My kid's pediatrician doesn't want to see my kids until they have been vomiting for over 2 weeks unless of course they are dehydrated which is a medical emergency then you go to the hospital.

FYI...diarrhea can linger for a few weeks after a stomach virus.

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S.B.

answers from New York on

The last stomach bug my daughter had she was completely miserable but the one she had before that you'd wouldve never known she was sick until she threw up. She would be laughing playing and then out it came and she'd be upset for a few minutes and go right back to playing. I just figured it was a I guess u could say "weak" stomach virus, like it was enough to make her throw up but not enough to make her sick otherwise. She has never had anything last more than three days though. Could her stomach be sensitive to something that would be causing this. Is there anything she only eats/drinks/has at night that could be making her throw up?
The chewing her fingers makes me think teething, but at that age I don't know , late molars? My daughter had a fever for three days straight was fine for a day then ended up with a stomach virus, turns out she was getting her 2yr old molars (she's almost 3 & this was only 2-3weeks ago) my fiancé's aunt was the one who figured it out actually while she babysat for us for a few hours, she said when kids are teething their immune systems are weakened and they end up getting sick from things that normally wouldn't even phaze them.
I totally get the freaking out thing she's my first kid too.. Thankfully my fiancé's aunt who has 4 kids, was there and made me feel less scared about it

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