How to effectively stop vomiting in a child

Vomiting is not a disease as such, but its sudden attack can frighten children and their unprepared parents. A reasonable question arises - How to stop vomiting in a child using the means at hand?

Parents should be able to provide first aid to their child during an attack of nausea. There is no universal method to stop vomiting, because there are many reasons for its occurrence. A loving mother and father must be theoretically savvy in the matter and maintain composure when the child is in pain. But first things first.

Measures to stop vomiting should be taken in the following cases:

the baby burps often and a lot (more than a tablespoon);
vomiting is accompanied by secretions of mucus, blood, bile;
vomiting is accompanied by constipation and it lasts more than a day;
the child refuses to eat any food;
The baby has unusual behavior (activity/drowsiness);
blanching of the skin is observed;
cardiopalmus;
cold limbs;
the child screams in severe pain.

Ways to stop vomiting in children under one year old

The key reason may be insufficient development of the lower esophageal sphincter - the muscle responsible for passing food from the stomach to the esophagus. Weakness in this area manifests itself in throat irritation and abdominal pain. More often, a sphincter defect affects children under one year of age. As the muscle develops, the problem disappears.

Sometimes, in the usual home conditions, the baby begins to regurgitate food and milk frequently. The reason for what is happening is sometimes simple overfeeding - the milk does not have time to be digested and comes out. If a baby's vomiting is accompanied by fever and diarrhea (frequent loose stools), rest assured that the child has contracted an infection.

In such situations, going to the doctor can only worsen the child’s condition, as it will take time. You need to act immediately, so it is better to call your doctor or an ambulance at home.

Treatment of vomiting in children under 1 year of age

You don’t always need to rush to the doctor to stop nausea in a baby; Parents can do some of the work:

Check to see if your baby has begun to suffer from gag reflexes due to overfeeding. If this is the reason, give less food.
After feeding, the baby should spend at least half an hour in an upright position; exclude games and activity. If you pick it up, do not shake the baby or put pressure on the stomach.
If the cause of nausea is heatstroke, lower your temperature. At home, to do this, introduce bed rest and drink plenty of fluids at room temperature.
In case of drug poisoning, rinse the child’s stomach, but do not carry out this procedure in case of food poisoning - the baby may lose consciousness.
When lavaging the stomach, remember that the body loses fluid; To avoid dehydration after the procedures, give your baby water or a decoction of dried fruits at the rate of 1-2 tsp. every 5-7 minutes.

Ways to stop vomiting in children after one year

Basically, nausea is a protective reflex of the body to irritants that are ingested. For example, gastroenteritis (stomach flu) - a popular cause of vomiting in children - develops after the penetration of harmful microflora into the intestinal mucosa. Nausea, dry mouth, fever, diarrhea, reluctance to eat - this is how the disease manifests itself.

Other causes of vomiting are physiological in nature - overeating, motion sickness on the road, reaction to allergens, poisoning, heat stroke, head injury or contusion, dizziness. Expired food, toxic plant substances entering the body, cleaning products and medications can all cause vomiting in a child.

Ways to stop vomiting in older children

At the first gag reflex, lift the child vertically (sitting or on his feet) and turn his head to the side (this eliminates the possibility that the child will choke on vomit).
Rinse the stomach with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or warm boiled water until it comes out in its original form, without vomit.
To replenish fluid supply, give your child compote of raisins, dried fruits, rice water, non-carbonated mineral water at the rate of 3-4 tsp. (children from 1 to 3 years old) and 1-2 tbsp. l. (children over 3 years old) or special solutions that can be bought at a pharmacy, for example, Regidron.
In case of food poisoning, medications such as Smecta, Enterosgel, and activated carbon will help remove toxins.
If you have nausea due to a high temperature, do not take antipyretic drugs orally - with the next attack they will come out. It is better to use rectal suppositories or intramuscular injections.

What to do if vomiting does not stop

It happens that treating vomiting at home is not successful. The attacks continue, your child suffers, the pain intensifies. How to help a child? In such cases, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Prerequisites for an immediate visit to the doctor:

high body temperature (continuing to rise);
stench and greenish color of vomit, streaks of blood there;
frequent loose stools;
convulsions;
attacks of nausea are repeated more often.

If you find the above signs of deterioration, do not waste time - now only a qualified specialist will solve the question of how to stop vomiting in a child.

Folk remedies for treating childhood vomiting

There are several effective folk recipes to combat the problem.

Valerian root decoction: the root is crushed, poured with boiling water, and left on the fire for 15 minutes; given twice a day, a teaspoon.

Mint infusion: A half-liter jar with a tablespoon of mint is poured with boiling water, left for half an hour, wrapped in a towel, after which 1/2 tsp is given to the patient every 3 hours.

Melissa infusion: prepared and used in a similar way to mint.

Ginger drink: prepared at the rate of 1/6 sachet of ginger powder per glass of warm water; give the solution three times a day, 1 tsp.

In what cases and by what methods should vomiting in children not be stopped?

An unpleasant condition such as nausea is a protective reaction of the body to the ingestion of unwanted elements. Therefore, in no case should you interfere with the next gag reflex until the vomit becomes a transparent water color.

Vomiting itself does not pose a danger, but harmful substances, if they remain in the body, will seriously aggravate the child’s condition and negate the previous efforts of the parents. However, there is one caveat. Even after the vomit has become clear in color, nausea may continue uncontrollably.

Parents should not give their child antiemetic medications, as they may interfere with the release of toxins from the body. Do not buy questionable medications; it is better to consult a doctor - let a specialist prescribe suitable antiemetic drugs.

Prevention after treatment

The first rule of prevention is compliance with the rules of personal hygiene. Washing your hands before eating is the bare minimum. A gentle diet is required. The first feeding of a baby or child over a year old is 5-7 hours after the last attack.

The best way to restore a baby under one year old is breast milk. For six-month-old babies, buckwheat and rice porridge with milk, vegetable or fruit puree are acceptable.

Older children should take food in semi-liquid form, boiled or baked - this will reduce the load on the stomach and reduce the likelihood of nausea returning. Porridge (except pearl barley), vegetable and fruit purees, juices, soups, lean meat are ideal helpers for recuperating. Eliminate fatty, spicy, salty, sweet, and fried foods from your diet.

Remember the rules described above and use common sense when trying to stop your baby from vomiting at home, then the unpleasant sensations will leave him very quickly.