Vomiting and diarrhea

StorkLine is a free 24-hour hotline for expecting moms and parents of young children. It is answered by Western Baptist nurses at (270) 575-BABY. Here are some frequently asked questions, along with the nurses’ responses.

Question: My child has been vomiting and has diarrhea. What should I do?  

Answer: If a child vomits more than once, he or should not have anything to eat or drink for two hours. That offers the stomach a chance to rest with nothing in it. When starting fluids again, a very small amount of water is the best thing because it doesn’t sit in the stomach very long. You may give one teaspoon of water every 10 minutes. After a period of two to four hours, increase the amount very slowly, switching to Pedialyte for infants and Gatorade for older children. If the child vomits after restarting oral fluids, contact your doctor or speak to a nurse at Baptist Health Line.

It is best not to give children a medicine to stop the diarrhea. That is the body’s way of getting rid of the virus. Nothing can be done about the diarrhea with diet changes until the vomiting is under control.

Signs of dehydration include no urine output in eight hours, the inside of cheek is sticky rather than wet and crying with no tears. Any of these symptoms require a visit to the doctor within four hours or to the emergency room.