Toddler (2.3) not eating after sickness bug

[INeedNewShoes]

I'm trying to guage whether it's worth phoning 111 for an OOH or whether we'd be better staying at home resting.

DD vomited 11 times on Thursday night between 7pm and 4am. On waking at 7am yesterday she drank half a cup of water and kept it down (so passed a 'water challenge'). She drank another full cup over the course of the morning then at a slice of toast and jam at midday.

She had a cup of oatmilk (she has a dairy allergy) at 4pm then at 6pm she had two little spoonfuls of dinner and half a cup of water and that was it. She is usually a very enthusiastic eater.

This morning she woke up at 8:30 and was pale and shaky. She had a cup of oatmilk and half a cup of water over 1.5 hours but has basically refused breakfast even though toast and jam is usually a huge treat. I've managed to get her to eat a third of a banana and that's it.

She's now sitting happily on the floor singing and looking at books.

Is it normal to have such a nice appetite loss after a bug?

Her wee looks a bit dehydrated but not terrible.

Completely normal. Offer lots of small snacks as well as small favourite meals.

Really normal. She’ll be fine.

If your worried about dehydration try giving juice or alpro chocolate/strawberry milk.

The pale and shaky is the concern for me at her age. My children have a disorder that affects their blood sugar (hypoglycaemia). You can get this too following a bug. If ketones rise (liver breaking down fats in fasting) this can suppress appetite. Add in low sugar from vomiting and you have low sugar, high ketones, no appetite, pale and shakiness. The banana is a good choice. Little and often. Crackers? Apple juice? Little sips are best. Toast with some jam? A few bites little and often over the day- if she improves after eating it's likely that but yes call 111 for reassurance. If it keeps happening esp in the mornings, then see your GP.

Once she's flushed the ketones out through her dehydrated wee, she'll feel much better. Didn't want to alarm you, it can happen as a one off after bugs.

Thanks for all these responses.

For now I'll see how things go over the next few hours. I'll offer various little snacks throughout the day and see if anything tempts her. I'm happy with the amount she's drunk today so far but if that becomes an issue I'll try a banana milkshake. I haven't got any juice in the house as neither of us have it usually.

If she goes pale and shaky again I'll phone 111.