Trying to be prepared for stomach virus

[Averysmom]

Ok Seasoned Mammas. My daughter is in daycare one day a week. She is just getting over anasty head cold. The stomach virus has hit our area. I kept her home this week because I didn't want to have her infected with both. I fear the stomach virus. I haven't fiwn up since I was 5! I have no idea how to handle a vomiting 1 and a 1/2 year old. I know she is probably going to end up with it. How often do they vommit? How long does it last? I know I'm jumping the gun but I'm in a panic. I like to be prepared. Any advice is welcomed

I wanted to share my top tip with you. Rather than let them throw up in a bucket or bowl, and then endure emptying the grim contents down the toilet and then washing the bucket/bowl out with bleach (boak), get yourself a couple of small wastepaper bins. I picked a couple up from the pound shop. Line them with a couple of small bin liners and put some newspaper or tissue in the bottom. That way, once they've puked, you can just tie a knot in the top of the bag, put it in a regular black bin bag and put it outside with the rubbish. You can even have several layers of bin liners in the wastepaper bin at once, so when you whip one out there is another all ready underneath for the next round. I know it's a bit gross putting a bag of sick out with the rubbish, but as long as it's wrapped in a few bags (plus the newspaper/tissue help to absorb it), it really isn't any worse than putting smelly poo nappies out with the waste. HTH.

Seeker and Artigene. Please dont ruin it for me, I need to believe it to be true, it has worked for me for 10 years, and unless a doctor comes and tell me it does not make sense, I will continue to believe it!

My DD currently has Norovirus. She has been ill for three days and has thrown up (spectacularly, it has to be said) three times.

Twice on the floor, once on me/sofa/floor.

The sick hasn't been the problem really, but the seven plus exploding diarrhoea nappies per day have been awful. Not to mention I have a laundry mountain.

Here it's been dioralyte central. DH has it too .

Poptartpoptart
Great idea. Hopefully I won't need to use it:0)

Coolayulea
Hope your dd and dh are feeling better, AND you don't get it.

Gold, I think there is some truth in what you say. Last time I had a stomach bug I stopped eating the minute I felt it coming on (non-emetophobes probably wouldn't even notice at this stage). I felt nauseaus and had flu-like symtoms, but did not vomit. Every other time I have had a bad stomach bug, has been after gorging myself the night before.

I think some of you might be able to help me . I am emetophobic. I have almost made myself ill with worry about bugs going around. I can feel my stomach clench and I need the loo the minute I hear someone near me has it. Then I spend way too long wondering if I now feel sick due to a bug or sick due to worry. I am trying to get a grip and tell myself to stop it taking over my life but it is... at least 60% of what I think about a day (probably more like 80%) over the past few weeks.

Completely agree that the actuality will be nowhere near as bad as the worry - so logically I can see it is totally pointless. I am just scared of getting caught out somewhere.

Should I go to a doctor (maybe not now as won't it be full of infectious people?!) and what can they do exactly? I've not really told anyone in real life as I know it's stupid

devilinside Thank you

itchy definitely go to your GP. It took me years to pluck up the courage to see mine, but eventually I did. 6 months later I'm now in the middle of CBT treatment. It's too early for me to say if it's working or not but I do feel better for knowing that I'm trying to cure myself of this awful, awful anxiety. I'm still worrying about my DC getting Noro, getting it myself, DH getting it, Christmas plans being ruined etc but I am starting to now think that I could cope ok if it did actually happen rather than wanting to keep us all locked in the house!

OP if what I've described is how you're feeling please find out if there is any help available to you too. Keeping your DD at home is not a long term solution and it would be upsetting for you in years to come if she also ends up being frightened of vomitting. My own emetophobia is linked back to how my mum reacted when I got sick as a child. I'm desperate not to pass this fear on to my kids but I worry DS (nearly 4) has already been affected by it

Years ago the media wouldn't have reported on Noro, FB didn't exist so you wouldn't see the updates people seem to put on saying they've got it or their kids have. I'm sure it's this that fuels my anxiety most of the time.

So true Scarlet... about papers, facebook, internet etc... it only takes one status for the panic to creep in! It's so tiring. I think I will see a gp in the new year.

Gold- i have heard the same about low fat and no sugar, someone posted on her a while ago about doctors eating grilled chicken and laying off the sugar when these bugs are about so they dont catch it (as they have to work around it).

I am petrified of my dd's getting sick, they have had noro in the past and i have caught it twice (but was only sick a couple times), last time dd1 had a bug she was only sick once, last time dd2 had a bug she was sick for 4 days and ended up dhydrated. I think it depends on the bug and the child.

I agree with the towels though, keep plents around the house ready, if she looks a bit poorly or is off her food then cover her bed in towels and keep a bowl by her bed, after the first vomit it gets easier to catch the next lot in the bowl. Clean with bleach (antbac does not kill noro).

Last time i caught it (when dd2 last had it) i only have diahrea but took domperidone as i felt sick. I think most people (like us ) wo are petrified of being sick are rarely very sick and can often avoid it all together.

I hope your dd doesn't catch it but if she does i'm sure you will deal with it.

Could have been me in my non-Christmas name though...

Gold
I agree with the diet as well! I usually try not to eat much or eat lightly and it seems to work.
Dd goes to daycare on Friday. We will see the outcome.
Itchy- talk about it! Just posting on here and realizing I'm not the only one who feels like this has helped tremendously. Everyone's advice has made me feel a bit more prepared and not Soooo panicy.

Thank you everyone. I just hope we can make it through Christmad!

It's that time of year again. Eeeeek.

Come and join the emetophobe support thread in mental health x

I cope by having a 'procedure'.

Keep the dcs apart, boil wash everything including towels after every use, keep anything with sick on it in a plastic bag, spray bleach everywhere, handwashing, only eating plain food that is hot. My friends think I'm mad but we haven't had one spread for a while.....

If nothing else it helps me feel in control.

Sugar and fat certainly DO aggravate delicate stomachs, but so can starchy food like bread and rice. The advice from nhs direct has been if there is repeated vomiting, stop ALL food for 24 hours, and give tiny amounts of fluids every few minutes. A big guzzle of water will often cause another round of vomiting. But they must have a bit of water every few minutes which keeps them well hydrated and gets them over it quicker. No food also helps them recover quicker. I've been using these methods with my three for years and it never fails.