Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTreatmentsHydrationDiet ChangesMedicationsWhen to Call a Healthcare Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Treatments
Hydration
Diet Changes
Medications
When to Call a Healthcare Provider
A child who is vomiting and/or has diarrhea doesn’t usually need medication. Most children with an illness that causes vomiting or diarrhea will feel better after a few days.
For the most part, children who are vomiting and/or have diarrhea need basic treatments like fluids and rest. For severe vomiting, your child’s healthcare provider may also prescribe an anti-vomiting medication.
This article goes over some of the treatments for vomiting and diarrhea in children, and when you should see a healthcare provider.
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Treatments for Vomiting and Diarrhea
In general, when your child is vomiting a lot or has diarrhea from something like a stomach virus (gastroenteritis), you should:
Hydrating Children With Fluids
It is important for a child with vomiting and diarrhea to remain hydrated. Vomiting and diarrhea can cause them to lose more liquid than they take in.
Many parents give juice or Gatorade to a child who has been vomiting, but these are not the best choices. The high amount of sugar and lack of sodium in fluids like apple juice might actually make your child worse. Similarly, Gatorade’s high sugar content makes it controversial when used for diarrhea or vomiting.
Oral Rehydration Solution
The World Health Organization Oral Rehydration Solution (WHO-ORS) is the gold standard for managing acute gastroenteritis, and many parents and pediatricians use commercially available solutions such as Enfalyte or Pedialyte.Oral rehydration solutionshave a balanced mix of sugar and electrolytes.
Oral rehydration solutions are available in most supermarkets and drug stores without a prescription and come in good-tasting flavors. Your child might prefer some flavors over others.
If your child is vomiting frequently, limit fluids to a teaspoon at a time, using a syringe, medicine dropper, or a teaspoon to measure the dose. You can gradually increase the amount you give at each time as your child begins to keep it down.
A good starting point is a teaspoon (5 ml) or tablespoon (15 ml) of fluid every five minutes for the first hour, increasing to a few tablespoons at a time once the vomiting decreases and your child is keeping the fluids down well.
Sipping on cola may help to ease nausea. It contains phosphoric acid, which can help quell nausea. Ginger tea may also help.
If your child can’t or won’t drink anything else, a Pedialyte popsicle can be a good alternative to prevent dehydration.
The total amount of fluids you should aim to give depends on how dehydrated your child is.
Spit-up vs. VomitThe main difference between spit-up and vomit is the force with which it is expelled from the body. Spit-up flows out easily, usually with a burp, and dribbles out the mouth. Vomiting occurs with force and shoots out. Vomit can also sometimes have an unpleasant odor.
Spit-up vs. Vomit
The main difference between spit-up and vomit is the force with which it is expelled from the body. Spit-up flows out easily, usually with a burp, and dribbles out the mouth. Vomiting occurs with force and shoots out. Vomit can also sometimes have an unpleasant odor.
ABRAT diet(bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast) is sometimes suggested for children with gastrointestinal illnesses, although many pediatricians no longer recommend the BRAT diet due to its low nutrient content. However, adding some of these foods to your child’s diet as they recover can help with diarrhea symptoms.
Many children crave water and crackers or other bland foods when they are sick, and it’s usually okay for them to take sips and eat small bites whenever they feel like they can.
If your child just has a few episodes of diarrhea and/or occasional vomiting, you should:
Once they start to feel better, your child can get back to an age-appropriate unrestricted diet.
Medications for Vomiting or Diarrhea in Kids
In almost all cases, medication should not be given to treat vomiting or diarrhea in a child. Symptoms like fever or pain, if they occur alongside nausea and vomiting, can be treated with Tylenol (acetaminophen).
Over-the-counter medications to treat nausea like Dramamine (dimenhydrinate) are not effective for treating vomiting in children with gastroenteritis and should not be given.
Never use the OTC antidiarrheal medication Imodium (loperamide) to treat diarrhea in children, since this medication is associated with severe side effects including abdominal swelling, breathing problems, heart problems, and death.
Severe cases of nausea and vomiting are sometimes treated with a prescription medication called Zofran (ondansetron). This medication is usually only prescribed if your child has severe vomiting, is dehydrated, and is unable to keep oral rehydration solution down.
Gastroenteritis can usually be treated at home, but you may need to call your child’s pediatrician if your child:
Babies’ stools are naturally loose. Diarrhea occurs when there is a sudden increase in the number or looseness of stools. In general, three or more watery stools are considered diarrhea.
Summary
Most cases of diarrhea and vomiting in children will resolve after a couple of days. While your child is recovering, it’s important to make sure they stay hydrated. Oral rehydration solution like Pedialyte is the best fluid to give a child with a stomach illness.
Medication is not usually advised for a child with vomiting and diarrhea. Don’t use over-the-counter medications. See your child’s healthcare provider if they have signs of dehydration or if they are having trouble keeping down fluids and seem to be getting progressively worse.
Signs of Stomach Flu and When to See a Healthcare Provider
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Nemours KidsHealth.Vomiting.Anigilaje EA.Management of Diarrhoeal Dehydration in Childhood: A Review for Clinicians in Developing Countries.Front Pediatr. 2018;6:28. doi:10.3389/fped.2018.00028Carson RA, Mudd SS, Madati PJ.Clinical practice guideline for the treatment of pediatric acute gastroenteritis in the outpatient setting.J Pediatr Health Care. 2016;30(6):610-616. doi:10.1016/j.pedhc.2016.04.012Iro MA, Sell T, Brown N, Maitland K.Rapid intravenous rehydration of children with acute gastroenteritis and dehydration: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC Pediatr. 2018;18(1):44. doi:10.1186/s12887-018-1006-1Gheini S, Ameli S, Hoseini J.Effect of oral dimenhydrinate in children with acute gastroenteritis: A clinical trial.Oman Med J. 2016;31(1):18-21. doi:10.5001/omj.2016.04Florez ID, Niño-Serna LF, Beltrán-Arroyave CP.Acute infectious diarrhea and gastroenteritis in children.Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2020;22(2):4. doi:10.1007/s11908-020-0713-6.Hartman S, Brown E, Loomis E, Russell HA.Gastroenteritis in children.Am Fam Physician. 2019;99(3):159-165.Additional ReadingAmerican Academy of Pediatrics. Clinical Report—Probiotics and Prebiotics in Pediatrics. PEDIATRICS Volume 126, Number 6, December 2010.CDC. Managing Acute Gastroenteritis Among Children. Oral Rehydration, Maintenance, and Nutritional Therapy. MMWR. November 21, 2003 / 52(RR16);1-16
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Nemours KidsHealth.Vomiting.Anigilaje EA.Management of Diarrhoeal Dehydration in Childhood: A Review for Clinicians in Developing Countries.Front Pediatr. 2018;6:28. doi:10.3389/fped.2018.00028Carson RA, Mudd SS, Madati PJ.Clinical practice guideline for the treatment of pediatric acute gastroenteritis in the outpatient setting.J Pediatr Health Care. 2016;30(6):610-616. doi:10.1016/j.pedhc.2016.04.012Iro MA, Sell T, Brown N, Maitland K.Rapid intravenous rehydration of children with acute gastroenteritis and dehydration: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC Pediatr. 2018;18(1):44. doi:10.1186/s12887-018-1006-1Gheini S, Ameli S, Hoseini J.Effect of oral dimenhydrinate in children with acute gastroenteritis: A clinical trial.Oman Med J. 2016;31(1):18-21. doi:10.5001/omj.2016.04Florez ID, Niño-Serna LF, Beltrán-Arroyave CP.Acute infectious diarrhea and gastroenteritis in children.Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2020;22(2):4. doi:10.1007/s11908-020-0713-6.Hartman S, Brown E, Loomis E, Russell HA.Gastroenteritis in children.Am Fam Physician. 2019;99(3):159-165.Additional ReadingAmerican Academy of Pediatrics. Clinical Report—Probiotics and Prebiotics in Pediatrics. PEDIATRICS Volume 126, Number 6, December 2010.CDC. Managing Acute Gastroenteritis Among Children. Oral Rehydration, Maintenance, and Nutritional Therapy. MMWR. November 21, 2003 / 52(RR16);1-16
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Nemours KidsHealth.Vomiting.Anigilaje EA.Management of Diarrhoeal Dehydration in Childhood: A Review for Clinicians in Developing Countries.Front Pediatr. 2018;6:28. doi:10.3389/fped.2018.00028Carson RA, Mudd SS, Madati PJ.Clinical practice guideline for the treatment of pediatric acute gastroenteritis in the outpatient setting.J Pediatr Health Care. 2016;30(6):610-616. doi:10.1016/j.pedhc.2016.04.012Iro MA, Sell T, Brown N, Maitland K.Rapid intravenous rehydration of children with acute gastroenteritis and dehydration: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC Pediatr. 2018;18(1):44. doi:10.1186/s12887-018-1006-1Gheini S, Ameli S, Hoseini J.Effect of oral dimenhydrinate in children with acute gastroenteritis: A clinical trial.Oman Med J. 2016;31(1):18-21. doi:10.5001/omj.2016.04Florez ID, Niño-Serna LF, Beltrán-Arroyave CP.Acute infectious diarrhea and gastroenteritis in children.Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2020;22(2):4. doi:10.1007/s11908-020-0713-6.Hartman S, Brown E, Loomis E, Russell HA.Gastroenteritis in children.Am Fam Physician. 2019;99(3):159-165.
Nemours KidsHealth.Vomiting.
Anigilaje EA.Management of Diarrhoeal Dehydration in Childhood: A Review for Clinicians in Developing Countries.Front Pediatr. 2018;6:28. doi:10.3389/fped.2018.00028
Carson RA, Mudd SS, Madati PJ.Clinical practice guideline for the treatment of pediatric acute gastroenteritis in the outpatient setting.J Pediatr Health Care. 2016;30(6):610-616. doi:10.1016/j.pedhc.2016.04.012
Iro MA, Sell T, Brown N, Maitland K.Rapid intravenous rehydration of children with acute gastroenteritis and dehydration: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC Pediatr. 2018;18(1):44. doi:10.1186/s12887-018-1006-1
Gheini S, Ameli S, Hoseini J.Effect of oral dimenhydrinate in children with acute gastroenteritis: A clinical trial.Oman Med J. 2016;31(1):18-21. doi:10.5001/omj.2016.04
Florez ID, Niño-Serna LF, Beltrán-Arroyave CP.Acute infectious diarrhea and gastroenteritis in children.Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2020;22(2):4. doi:10.1007/s11908-020-0713-6.
Hartman S, Brown E, Loomis E, Russell HA.Gastroenteritis in children.Am Fam Physician. 2019;99(3):159-165.
American Academy of Pediatrics. Clinical Report—Probiotics and Prebiotics in Pediatrics. PEDIATRICS Volume 126, Number 6, December 2010.CDC. Managing Acute Gastroenteritis Among Children. Oral Rehydration, Maintenance, and Nutritional Therapy. MMWR. November 21, 2003 / 52(RR16);1-16
American Academy of Pediatrics. Clinical Report—Probiotics and Prebiotics in Pediatrics. PEDIATRICS Volume 126, Number 6, December 2010.
CDC. Managing Acute Gastroenteritis Among Children. Oral Rehydration, Maintenance, and Nutritional Therapy. MMWR. November 21, 2003 / 52(RR16);1-16
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