How should I care for a vomiting child?

American Red Cross

For a very young child or infant, lay the child on his or her side so that the child does not swallow or inhale the vomit.
Halt solid foods for 24 hours during an illness involving vomiting and replace with clear fluids, such as water, Popsicles, gelatin, or an oral rehydration solution specially designed for children and infants.
Introduce liquids slowly. For instance, wait 2 to 3 hours after a vomiting episode to offer the child some cool water. Offer 1 to 2 ounces every half hour, four times. Then alternate 2 ounces of rehydration solution with 2 ounces of water every 2 hours.
After 12 to 24 hours with no vomiting, gradually reintroduce the child’s normal diet.

James Fortenberry on behalf of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta

Pediatrics

For babies less than 12 months of age - give 2-3 tsp. of clear fluids
gradually over 15 minutes even if they vomit. You may want to use
a dropper to give the fluids.
For children over 12 months of age - give 5-6 tsp. of clear fluids
gradually over 15 minutes even if they vomit.
If your child has problems keeping any fluids down, call his doctor.
After your child is able to keep down clear liquids for 6-8 hours,
      gradually begin a soft, bland diet. Give your child foods that he
      usually eats such as bananas, rice, applesauce, pasta without
      butter, crackers and toast. Avoid fatty, fried or spicy foods such as
      ice cream, French fries and pizza.
After 12-24 hours without vomiting, gradually increase his diet from a
soft, bland diet to a normal diet.
Do not give your child Pepto Bismol or other medicines to stop diarrhea
unless advised to do so by your child’s doctor.

Continue Learning about First Aid For Medical Emergencies & Conditions

Avoid Unnecessary Trips to the Emergency Department

In the movie Pay It Forward, the storyline is all about doing good deeds for strangers who, in turn, pass on a good deed to someone they don’t know. O...

Dr. Kathleen Handal, MD

Your first step in a medical emergency must be to look around and ask yourself "Is the scene safe fo...

Univ. of Nev. School of Medicine, Family Medicine

The recovery position in first aid is designed to maintain the airway of an unconscious person. Ther...

Important: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs.