DS vomiting on the hour every hour for 40 hours and counting...

[Quangle]

He's eaten nothing at all since Wednesday and all that's coming up is water and bile - but it just keeps on and on coming all yesterday, all last night and all today. He's getting weaker and weaker, of course. He's only 4 and looks so sad. Slight fever but nothing much.

I think it's something like gastroenteritis rather than the winter vomiting thing - DD had gastro a few years ago and it was similarly relentless and went on at the same pace for 5 days, day and night. The thought makes me want to cry....

Have spoken on the phone to dr who said only thing to watch for is DS becoming dehydrated - which DS isn't, yet. Lips not very chapped. Weeing a bit. He won't take dioralyte but is taking a fair bit of water in sips (then projectile vomiting most, but not all of it, back up). I will watch for dehydration obviously and if that happens, take him to the hospital. But is there anything else to be done? I'm not that enamoured of my GP so always feel the need to check out his advice.

Thanks for any advice or experience.

oh poor him :(

maybe try syringing dioralyte in a tiny bit at a time?

if he is still vomiting tomorrow i'd be tempted to get him seen somewhere...

One check for dehydration is pinching the skin on the back of the hand, if it doesn't spring back its a sign of dehydration. If it gets that bad take him straight away to A & e.

Poor little love :( I hope he picks up soon x

Could he manage an ice lolly? Or a bit of fruit like melon for water and sugar? So awful when they're ill like that. Hope he feels better soon.

thanks for all the replies - it's nice to have that

Will try these ideas. And I think I will try to get him seen tomorrow even if it's only for reassurance. This is the ill-est he's ever been - so it feels odd for no one to see him. Although there really doesn't seem to be much that can be done so maybe it is a bit pointless.

My DD ended up on a drip after an awful bug when she was 2 and we were told by the doctor that we should spoon in 5ml of water every few minutes. My DD started sleeping too much and her hands and feet were cold so the GP sent us to A&E. we were also encouraged to give her full sugar squash and whatever she fancied to eat. Really hope he feels better soon, but if you're worried A&E were brilliant and after a few hours on a drip she was a hundred times better.

Jelly could be worth a shot. We were advised it when DSS was vomiting a lot. I hope he picks up soon.

Honestly trust your instinct on this and if you are worried get him seen sooner rather than later. 40 hours is a long time at that age and it sounds like he is probably already getting dehydrated if he has vomited that amount, not to mention his salt and sugar balance will be out and making him feel pretty rough too. Is he lethargic, is he sleepy, is he actually managing to use anything he does take orally or is it all coming back up? Check him in the night if nothing else.

I'd ring NHS direct actually. 40 hours is a long time; I'd be calling for an adult at that stage. More than anything, just to have it checked and dehydration can suddenly take hold after ages of the person being alright.

Your poor DS. Hope he feels better really soon.

40 hours is such a long time for a tired little body. If you really can't get him to take spoonfuls of dehydration stuff, please take him back to the docs or to a walk in. We had a bad experience when DS was tiny - thankfully a big strong boy now - but I wouldn't leave it now.

The problem with vomiting bugs in young children is that when there's no food left to use for energy they start burning their fat, and the process of converting fat into energy makes them nauseous and vomity again.

So it becomes a vicious circle which you might be able to break with dioralyte if they can keep enough of it down, but if not a drip is miraculous.

I took my grey and floppy 4 year old who'd been vomiting for days to the GP 3 times before she was referred to hospital. Less than 24 hours later she was pink and bouncing again.

Thanks to everyone for posted. It is really greatly appreciated.

I think he has turned a corner. He hasn't been sick for 12 hours and he has this morning had a few little nibbles of sugary things. I searched through the cupboards - we didn't have any jelly or anything like that in the house and I'm a single parent so couldn't go out and get anything. But I took your advice that he needed some glucose and salt so he's been sucking on a few jelly beans and a few tiny nibbles of biscuit. He's still absolutely worn out and hasn't really spoken more than a few words since Wednesday but I am hopeful he may be on the mend.

I've also given him some sips of flat coke with a bit of salt in it. It's helping. Although as I was getting it down from the cupboard one can fell and split open, spraying coke literally all over the kitchen from ceiling to floor. Have just got down the ladder from mopping the ceiling and will now start on washing all the sheets in Christendom.

Friend is coming over shortly so I can pop out and stock up on more easy bits of food for him. Will keep an eye on him (we've slept together the last few days so I can monitor him closely and hold the bucket while he throws up and I'll do that again tonight) but it was very helpful to have your advice. Mumsnet beats my GP, frankly.

Glad he's improved

Very glad to hear he's turned a corner. But as you've been having terribly disturbed sleep too, please take advantage of your friend coming over to get your head down for some sleep. Could you take the sheets for a service wash at the laundrette?

Glad he's feeling better :)

FYI mine wont do dyralite either but they can be conned with the black currant flavour in a black currant fruit shoot. I think they see it as a treat.