Are you unsure of how to treat diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting in kids? KidsStreet Urgent Care is here to give you the tips you need to help your kiddo feel better.
What Are The Symptoms?
Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea in children are very common conditions. Their symptoms consist of:
- Nausea: abdominal pain, loss of appetite, cramps, dry mouth, retching, dry heaving, sweating.
- Vomiting: can be accompanied by sudden onset of excess saliva, gagging, choking, retching, involuntary stomach reflexes.
- Diarrhea: loose or watery bowel movements, bloating, fever, urgency, frequency, fever, nausea, mucus in stool.
Causes of Nausea, Vomiting, and Diarrhea in Children
There are many different reasons why your child may be experiencing vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea. Some of the main causes include:
- Stomach viruses
- Food poisoning
- Allergies to foods
- Motion sickness
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Celiac disease
In other cases, head injury or intestinal obstruction may be causing these issues. If you believe your child has sustained a head injury or swallowed a foreign object, call 911 immediately.
What Are The Treatment Methods?
Most cases of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea in children can be treated with at-home methods. Some of the methods we recommend include:
- Over-the-counter medications such as Pepto Bismol or Emetrol.
- Ensure they drink small amounts of fluid like water, broth, or sports drinks to prevent dehydration and reduce dry mouth.
- Have them try the BRAT diet which consists of bland foods like bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. Plain crackers are also a good option for them to try.
Need help treating your vomiting, diarrhea, or nausea in kids? KidsStreet Urgent Care offers treatment for each of these conditions with our urgent care services for kids.
When Should I Seek Medical Care?
Although at-home treatment is usually suitable, there are certain instances where you should seek care for your child or call the doctor. Always seek medical care if:
- Your child has nausea and vomiting for more than 48 hours.
- The child is vomiting blood, or their vomit is green.
- If older children have not eaten in 24 hours, or if babies have not kept breast milk down in over 24 hours.
- Child has more than 10 loose bowel movements in one day.
- Intense stomach pain persists while the child is vomiting or having diarrhea.
- Child has experienced significant weight loss.
- The child is showing signs of dehydration.
Signs of Dehydration
Nausea, mild diarrhea, and vomiting in children can lead to dehydration. Common signs of dehydration include:
- Clammy hands and feet
- Intense thirst
- Loss of color
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- In infants, a sunken soft spot
- Brightly-colored urine
- Strong-smelling urine
- Infrequent urination
- Exhaustion
You can prevent dehydration in kids by ensuring they drink plenty of fluids.
Preventing The Spread
There is nothing worse than a stomach bug that spreads like wildfire. Best practices to prevent the spread of vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea in kids by keeping you child home if they are feeling sick, and washing your hands frequently especially while taking care of your sick child.
Turn To KidsStreet Urgent Care
Is your child experiencing diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting? KidsStreet can help them heal and feel better, FAST!
To visit a clinic, register online. You will be able to wait in your vehicle or at home with your child until we are ready to see you.
We love walk-ins, and they are welcome seven days a week at our clinics! However, walk-ins may experience longer in-clinic wait times. Those who walk-in are added to the same queue as those who registered online ahead of their visit.