stupid questions about vomitting children

[janek]

hi

both of my dds (4.5 & 1.11) have woken up this morning with a stomach bug. even water is making them sick and dd2's nappy was bone dry first thing this morning.

they are both asleep at the moment, but what do i do with them when they wake up? i fear dehydration, but don't know how soon that becomes a worry.

i am (lucky for me) very inexperienced in the ways of the stomach bug. does anyone have any advice for me?

tia
jane

[SparkleRainbow]

It is important to try and get fluids into them, even if the water comes straight back up, it is easier to vomit water than it is to heave and have nothing to come back up. If you try just giving them a medicine syringe full of water at a time, mine find that easier to cope with then me saying small sips...will definitely help the baby. Mine have never taken electrolite solutions ever, they just refuse, but if your dc will drink juice normally you might have better luck, you can try ringing the gp's and see if they will prescribe you some without you having to take the children in, which will be impossible at the moment. Last time mine had a vomiting bug NHS direct said giving them food or water wouldn't make them be sick anymore than they would be anyway, and starving children or adults to get the bug out of their systems was no longer recommended it did not speed up recovery. They said to go by wha they children said, encourage small amounts of water, and offer salty foods like plain crisps when they felt up to it. Good luck.

[janek]

that's good to know, thank you so much. it seems logical not to give them anything so there's nothing to throw up, but they do (understandably) seem to find dry heaving pretty unpleasant.

salty snacks it is, and if that turns them off crisps for the future, so much the better!!!

[SparkleRainbow]

Unfortunately my dd1 just says ooh mummy I am feeling a little bit sick...can I have a bag of crsips

[SparkleRainbow]

oops should have been crisps!

[dikkertjedap]

Need to drink, but don't give lemonade (some doctors still advice sugary drinks, this is outdated advice and makes it worse!), so water, if they fancy milk. Anything they want to eat (probably nothing) but if they do want something I would give it. I like to give Dorianos (slightly salted tea crackers) just plain, or tea biscuits. I have been told that if they become dehydrated they will happily drink the rehydration drinks, as in these circumstances they actually like the taste. However, when dd had a bad vomitting spell I did try to give these drinks but she hated it.

[janek]

thanks both, they are much better now, and happily chomping on cheddar biscuits in the hope of re-salting them, they've already drunk loads of milk, it seems we've got away quite lightly this time.