Page 4 | Kid is sick, then carries on into family attraction

Breadandbutta · 2026-02-20T14:35:52+00:00

I'm just interested in what other people think. A kid, pale as a sheet, walking slowly, threw up just before the entrance to a family attraction this morning. I'd say they were about 9yrs, with mum/dad/siblings. Not much sick, mostly liquid, so presumably they had a fairly empty stomach. Dad gave the child some water to rinse his mouth and the family carried on into the attraction and headed straight to the toilets. Dad was walking alongside him. Mum didn't bat an eyelid and stayed with their other 2 children. Aibu to think they should've gone home? I'm just curious as to what others think when they see a kid throwing up in public when about to embark on a half term day out in a busy place with lots of kids! Or is there probably a reasonable explanation for the kids sickness, other than a gastro bug?

Thechaseison71 · 20/02/2026 22:52

User9767475 · 20/02/2026 20:41

Emetophobe here and I would also hate to see that! However if the family seems very desensitised to it then it's probably harmless. A child who normally isn't sick but suddenly gets sick in a public place will send most parents into a tiff because they know it's a virus or worse. It seems like the family barely reacted so they've seen it before.

A genuine question for those with kids who have travel sickness (or had it themselves)...do most families still plan long trips despite the fact it would almost certainly put the child through a lot of nausea, stress and discomfort. It sounds cruel to me knowing that a child reacts badly to a situation, yet repeatedly forcing them to go through with it. It's like knowing a child has gluten intolerance but forcing them to eat bread and suffer the consequences. I could never get my head around why some families are happy to let a sibling be extremely travel sick on trips instead of avoiding it somehow.

Obviously, from a certain age they can make their own decisions just like adults can decide to go cruising despite seasickness. But it seems very odd to force young children into car journeys where they will inevitably be sick and they have no way of defending themselves. If you put a child through any other sort of situation where they ended up sick (violence, force feeding, neglect) then you would probably be reported for abuse.

Not necessarily long journeys though. My friends daughter could throw up on a 10 min car journey from nursery or school.

FrozenFebruary · 20/02/2026 22:56

Yeah especially given the mum wasn't paying much attention to it I'd say routine car sickness (my god daughter would throw up on any car journey over 10 minutes. One if us would sort her out, the other would watch the other kids. She would look pale, walk slowly etc but 5 minutes later be bounding about.

my niece was on medication for a long time when she was young, that made her sick, not contagious!

there is SO much Noro etc around at the minent, extra hand washing is just sensible especially where there are so many people.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 20/02/2026 22:59

Tbh it might have freaked me out too and I’d be washing my hands extra carefullly all day.

But it could well be something like travel sickness as pps have said.

Sounds like parents might have made the classic error of thinking an empty stomach helps car sickness! As a sufferer myself, it’s miles worse if you’re hungry. I’m best if reasonably full of plainish nutritious food, have plain food like crackers or something to snack on in the car and plenty of water. Absolutely no sweets or anything like squash. My parents as non sufferers got that wrong in all counts - thought an empty stomach, “sweets to suck” (🤮) and squash in the car might help 🤮🤮

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 20/02/2026 23:00

FrozenFebruary · 20/02/2026 22:56

Yeah especially given the mum wasn't paying much attention to it I'd say routine car sickness (my god daughter would throw up on any car journey over 10 minutes. One if us would sort her out, the other would watch the other kids. She would look pale, walk slowly etc but 5 minutes later be bounding about.

my niece was on medication for a long time when she was young, that made her sick, not contagious!

there is SO much Noro etc around at the minent, extra hand washing is just sensible especially where there are so many people.

If my mother is driving (bless her)I’ll be ready to puke after 2 mins

Lavender14 · 20/02/2026 23:02

I used to get awful travel sickness as a kid but also if I hadn't had enough sleep, for example at a sleepover I'd have been ill the next day as well. I can't see any family traipsing a stomach bug etc around a family attraction for the day poor kid, whereas travel sickness will obviously ease off

Applecup · 20/02/2026 23:18

Breadandbutta · 20/02/2026 22:46

Yes. I've been to center parcs before, which is known for people getting sick, and the woman at the customer service desk infront of me was asking for more bedding and towels, because her child had been up and sick all night. Her child was sat in the Starbucks opposite laying all over the table. Urgh. She should've kept him in the lodge!!!!

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People are selfish.

FrozenFebruary · 20/02/2026 23:35

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 20/02/2026 23:00

If my mother is driving (bless her)I’ll be ready to puke after 2 mins

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Yeah I suffer too, but mostly ok in the front seat.

my gd was car sick no matter who was driving.or how they were driving.

(as a young adult now she's being tested for eye problems (not sight as that's still really excellent, but could deteriorate if they can't get her eye problem sorted). I wonder if this could have had anything to do with it?!)

FrozenFebruary · 20/02/2026 23:41

User9767475 · 20/02/2026 20:41

Emetophobe here and I would also hate to see that! However if the family seems very desensitised to it then it's probably harmless. A child who normally isn't sick but suddenly gets sick in a public place will send most parents into a tiff because they know it's a virus or worse. It seems like the family barely reacted so they've seen it before.

A genuine question for those with kids who have travel sickness (or had it themselves)...do most families still plan long trips despite the fact it would almost certainly put the child through a lot of nausea, stress and discomfort. It sounds cruel to me knowing that a child reacts badly to a situation, yet repeatedly forcing them to go through with it. It's like knowing a child has gluten intolerance but forcing them to eat bread and suffer the consequences. I could never get my head around why some families are happy to let a sibling be extremely travel sick on trips instead of avoiding it somehow.

Obviously, from a certain age they can make their own decisions just like adults can decide to go cruising despite seasickness. But it seems very odd to force young children into car journeys where they will inevitably be sick and they have no way of defending themselves. If you put a child through any other sort of situation where they ended up sick (violence, force feeding, neglect) then you would probably be reported for abuse.

Yes because the one child that's car suck isn't ggd only person in the family, because people need to HK places, the kid is fine after 5 minutes.

speaking as the kid & the adult.

💁🏻‍♀️

Isittimeformynapyet · 20/02/2026 23:45

ShowOfHands · 20/02/2026 14:41

DS gets travel sick so that's possible.

Also, my niece has CVS and vomits when excited. She goes very pale, is sick once and then is fine. She does it every birthday, every Christmas and every family day out. You'd see my brother not batting an eyelid and taking her to the toilets as well.

What does CVS stand for please? I'm fed up with Googling initials.

Chronic/constant vomiting syndrome?

stichguru · 20/02/2026 23:59

If the kid had a bug, he'd probably want to go home. If he was happy just to carry on as normal, then he's probably used to being sick so either travel sick, or has some nasty, but non-infectious condition, causing him to vomit regularly. On chemo, or something.

CoastalCalm · 21/02/2026 00:05

I was really terrible with travel sickness as a kid , by your logic I’d never have had a single day out with my family

Twooclockrock · 21/02/2026 00:07

My kid throws up after every car journey over 10 minutes.
Also you said they headed straight for the toilet which seems sensible to head there asap rather than anywhere else.

DurinsBane · 21/02/2026 09:18

Breadandbutta · 20/02/2026 22:42

NHS advises 48h isolation since last episode of d or v.

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Though secondary schools don’t follow that. I ask ours once, they said that is applicable for primary a schools, 48 hours after last time you were sick etc, but at secondary school it is go back as soon as you can

ShowOfHands · 21/02/2026 09:48

Isittimeformynapyet · 20/02/2026 23:45

What does CVS stand for please? I'm fed up with Googling initials.

Chronic/constant vomiting syndrome?

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https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=what+illness+is+cvs

What Illness Is Cvs

For those who think it's easier to annoy you than to Google 'What illness is cvs' themselves.

https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=what+illness+is+cvs

GreenWheat · 21/02/2026 10:04

The thing with big public places like theme parks is the you may come into contact with all sorts of transferable conditions. There will be people with them who aren't showing symptoms, people with communicable skin conditions touching things etc.

EvangelineTheNightStar · 21/02/2026 10:10

CoastalCalm · 21/02/2026 00:05

I was really terrible with travel sickness as a kid , by your logic I’d never have had a single day out with my family

And be put in isolation for 48 hours after every car journey 🙄.
when younger I’d be car sick for every journey over about 15 mins, and now unless I’m driving I can’t be longer than a hour!

SleepingStandingUp · 21/02/2026 10:12

I'd assume it's travel sickness.
Anyone who followed us the other day would think similar to you I guess. DS was travel sick on the bus. He's been fine lately so I was a bit slow to react and it went on the floor. We then got off and walked to our event. Washed our hands as soon as we could. He was fine immediately after. Chucking in back on the bus to come would actually have made him worse

somanychristmaslights · 21/02/2026 10:14

You were just unlucky you saw it. There’s millions of times people leave the house when they shouldn’t. You just don’t know! That’s how D&V gets spread.

Spiffingdarling88 · 21/02/2026 10:19

I vomit all the time due to a medical condition, it's embarrassing enough without needing the extra judginess.

Just assume the parents are putting their child first and it's something normal for them.

ToffeePennie · 21/02/2026 10:21

Travel/car sick, they might have a vomiting issue (my DS has it) where over stimulation/over excitement/stress can make liquidy vomit come back.
It could be migraine or headache sickness that the family know about or CVS (again DS has it)
Allergies can also make you sick. So there’s lots of reasons that don’t involve a bug.

Pigeonpoodle · 21/02/2026 10:26

NewZebra · 20/02/2026 14:42

Of course we can judge.

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Yes, of course we can judge! It’s the reason some MNers get out of bed in the morning, to judge snootily at others when we only know half the story,

Of course they should have taken the kid home, regardless of reason, because that would have caused maximum disappointment to all involved, and don’t we all hate it when others have a good time!

Pigeonpoodle · 21/02/2026 10:30

EvangelineTheNightStar · 21/02/2026 10:10

And be put in isolation for 48 hours after every car journey 🙄.
when younger I’d be car sick for every journey over about 15 mins, and now unless I’m driving I can’t be longer than a hour!

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Definitely! Always 48 hours… Rules are rules! And they need to be obeyed to the slavishly, because that maximises the misery, and misery needs to be shared. Why should others be happy?

YourGreenCat · 21/02/2026 10:49

freakingscared · 20/02/2026 22:43

I doubt anyone would do that. That is not what op described here

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of course people do that. It's bad enough that they don't care about others, but they don't care about their own child either. Poor thing would be better at home resting, but instead is dragged to an attraction, on a plane, or sent packing at school.

I have heard mums saying they were at a playgroup or soft play with their sick child because they needed to get the child out of their hair for an hour! Absolutely pathetic, but what can you do.

YourGreenCat · 21/02/2026 10:50

Pigeonpoodle · 21/02/2026 10:26

Yes, of course we can judge! It’s the reason some MNers get out of bed in the morning, to judge snootily at others when we only know half the story,

Of course they should have taken the kid home, regardless of reason, because that would have caused maximum disappointment to all involved, and don’t we all hate it when others have a good time!

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I am not sure people who are constantly vomiting are having such a great time...

bet if it was mummy being unwell, then SHE would rest because she needs her me-time. These kind of people always do.

Oah · 21/02/2026 11:08

could be travel sick, I was so often sick, on school buses, in car rides, it’s not bad now I drive, but if I’m a passenger I’m still likely to puke. I was often the kid puking and then continuing on, if they’re someone who’s travel sick a lot you can’t just stay at home.