Cures for Vomiting in Children

If your child has begun vomiting, it may seem scary. You can rest assured that vomiting is usually not dangerous, and it's usually just the result of eating something that irritated your child's stomach. The main cure for vomiting in children revolves around avoiding any foods that might irritate the stomach; you would then want to slowly reintroduce regular solid foods.

Immediately After Vomiting

• Immediately after your child vomits, let the child's stomach rest. Do not try to feed your child until at least an hour after vomiting. After an hour passes, allow your child to drink small sips of water or other clear liquids periodically. Appropriate liquids include water, flat soda, crushed ice cubes, chicken broth or sports drinks. For 24 hours after vomiting, do not encourage your child to eat solid foods. If your child requests solid foods, allow him to slowly snack on some bland crackers.

Reintroducing Solids

• After 24 hours, begin reintroducing solids into your child's diet. Try bland foods that don't harm the stomach, such as bananas, applesauce, dry cereal, or rice cakes. Dilute some skim milk to replace some of the clear liquids. Make sure that all foods given at this stage are mushy or will disintegrate easily in the earlier stages of digestion. Slowly, over the next day or so, introduce foods that are less easily digested until your child has eventually returned to her normal diet.

When to Call the Doctor

• Vomiting usually does not require a phone call to the doctor. However, if your child appears overly drowsy or doesn't seem to be thinking clearly, call your doctor to discuss possible causes for the vomiting. Also call the doctor if your child seems sick in other ways, whether she complains of abdominal pains, a high fever, painful urination, difficulty breathing or other seemingly unrelated symptoms. If your child continues to vomit for more than 24 hours, call the doctor to ask if you should come in to the office.