dd keeps being sick, can't keep water down. What to do in this heat?

[cupofteaplease]

dd is nearly 3.

She began being sick at midnight last night, and was sick at least once every half hour until 7am. She slept til 8.30 then asked for water, so I only allowed her a little sip, but she promptly vomitted it all up and has been sick twice since.

dh spoke to the pharmacist who said as long as she is asking for water, she is ok, even if she can't keep it down. Is this right?

I'm worried she needs fluids in this heat.

Give her some ice cubes to suck on.

Tiny sips (like a teaspoon) of rehydration fluid (1 litre water, 8 teaspoons water, 1 teaspoon salt) which is room temperature every 5 minutes, whether she vomits it up or not. You can also freeze diarolyte into lollies which mean she has a very little bit at a time which is good.

If she doesn't stop vomiting by lunchtime, you probably need to call your GP for advice as she is little.

maybe try to give her ice lollies to suck on and try to keep giving sips of water even if it still makes her sick, small children can become dehydrated very quickly. if it persists phone gp

Thanks for the advice.

I tried giving her an ice pole but she threw that back up. By this time she was very floppy and lethargic and still hadn't been for a wee since bedtime the night before, so I called the doctor and was given an appointment.

After waiting 50 mins after appointment time the doctor saw dd and said she probably has a sickness bug and the weather is not helping with the dehydration. Because he was concerned about her floppiness too he has asked me to review the situation again at 4pm and see if she is any better. If she is still being sick he said they will consider admitting her to the hospital.

Luckily, since getting home, I have managed to get another ice pole down her and for the time being it's staying in her tummy- fingers crossed...!

If shes taking them keep giving ice poles to her and water. hope shes better soon..

Well she didn't keep that ice pole down, nor the little sips of water, so I took her back and saw a different doctor who wasn't bothered at all, because her nail beds returned to pink quickly when pressed and her hands and feet are still warm. Infact, she seemed to perk up a little when we got home and she sat up for the first time today etc.

Since then though she has been sick again, and is now so deeply asleep again that dh just tried to wake her, without success.

I know I am sounding incredibly PFB about this (despite her being our second ), it's just that I hate seeing her so lethargic and poorly.

Is this just your average tummy bug? If so, I've obviously been lucky to escape one in my 5 years of parenting so far!!

Off to the A&E with you, as Pixie says.

Does she have a fever or rash?

She can be woken, but she literally opens her eyes, then drops straight off to sleep again- no real reaction. Also her feet and fingers are blueish now.

I'm getting upset because my instinct says she is poorly, but 2 doctors and now my dh (because of the doctors) are saying that she's just tired because of being sick in the night.

My instinct was right when she was born, I just knew she was ill, and the doctors/midwives wouldn't listen to me at first, then all of a sudden she was whisked away to SCBU- lumbar puncture, drips, CPAP oxygen etc because she was very ill. (This has all been cleared up now and is unrelated to this, I'm just trying to justify (to myself I guess) how gut instinct can sometimes be right.)

I just don't want to be made to feel like an over sensitive/over reacting/neurotic mother.

I'm not a GP but I do work with bulimics, so I do know that even if food/drink is vomited up straight away some calories/nutrients are absorbed in the mouth and oesophagus so she is probably still getting something from the water/ice poles. With food, usually only 30% of the calories are vomited up, even if you vomit until empty.

It is knackering having a sickness bug and throwing up so they do tend to fall into really deep sleeps. Her body needs to rest and recuperate, maybe call NHS direct or the GP again and ask what they suggest re waking her up and going straight to A&E now.

No fever or rash, mathanxiety.

Apparently, according to both doctors, her heartrate is a little fast but nothing serious, and everything else is fine.

I probably am just over reacting.

That's really reassuring JaceyBee, thanks.

Better to over react than nothing i would keep giving the water to keep her hydrated. She is probably exhausted from all the vomiting, i would let her sleep for a little while and then try and wake her again, keep a close eye on her if she doesnt improve take her straight to A&E, they will understand your concern...

You can continue to hydrate her even while she is sleeping. Take a soft paint brush, dip it in boiled cooled water, and draw it across her lips where upper and lower lip meet. You won't choke her as there is so little water that it won't drip in her mouth, but if you do it very frequently then, as JacyBee said, some will be absorbed.

Trust your instincts.

Hope she's on the up soon.

I would risk being made fun of, and insist that a proper evaluation is made, trying the hydration too. Anything that replaces electrolytes is more useful than water if you have it. But water if you can get it into her will help.

Are her palms dry? The soles of her feet? Are they cold and/or splotchy?

Does she have any cramped muscles -- you can feel hard knots where her muscles are if they're cramped.

How about her mouth -- is it dry inside, does her tongue burn or look irritated to you, are her lips dry and parched looking?

gaagh

How about her soft spot on her head -- is it sunken?

Is her pulse rapid?

Are her eyes sunken and do they look dry?

Is there any confusion or dizziness when she sits up? Any rush of blood to the head? (Maybe hard for a 3 yo to describe to you though)

When was the last time she passed urine?

What did it look/smell like?

My dd1 became very dehydrated very fast last year, sipping water and then vomiting it up again immediately therefore losing more fluids from her stomach (taking one sip and then vomiting up half a cup full - I disagree with JaceyBee in this case) - she became very lethargic literally not able to stand - she collapsed on the floor in A& E and that got her a drip very quickly. In fact the doctors told us not to give her any more fluids orally because it was causing her to vomit even more

Listen to your instincts; and go back to a&e if she is no better.

I suppose it's about risk assessment - if she is ok and you wake her and take her to A&E then she will be more tired and the staff may think you're neurotic (not an issue imho) but she'll catch up on her sleep at some point.

If she's not ok and you don't wake her, still may not be disastrous but consequences could be worse than a tired child and an unnecessary trip.

DD has been like that before and it is really horrible and scary, I do feel for you all.

Yes, there comes a point where administering fluids orally becomes counter productive. And really, this call is for the Drs to make.

And Pixie is right that they would prefer to see her before things get too serious.

How is little one doing today??

Was thinking of you last night, any improvement today?