Child vomiting: how to keep fluids down and when to worry
Most vomiting in children is a stomach bug that stops within 24 hours. Rest the stomach for 30 to 60 minutes, then give a teaspoon of oral rehydration fluid every five minutes and build up slowly. Call a doctor for green vomit, blood, a swollen or very painful belly, no urine for eight hours, or vomiting that lasts more than a day.
How long it lasts
Vomiting typically stops within 12 to 24 hours; diarrhea can carry on for another three to seven days. Norovirus is contagious for at least 48 hours after symptoms stop.
School and daycare
Home until 24 hours after the last vomit, no exceptions. Stomach bugs spread through classrooms faster than anything else on this list, and a child who returns too early usually starts a second wave.
What usually causes vomiting in kids
Stomach bug (viral gastroenteritis)
Vomiting first, then diarrhea, often with a low fever. Spreads fast in classrooms.
Sudden, forceful vomiting that hits a whole class within days. Survives hand sanitizer, so use soap and water.
Watery diarrhea with vomiting in younger children, less common since routine vaccination.
Younger kids often vomit as part of the flu, alongside fever and aches.
Stomach ache and vomiting can be how strep shows up in children before the sore throat is obvious.
When to call a doctor
- No wet diaper or trip to the bathroom in eight hours, no tears when crying, or a dry mouth
- Green or bright yellow vomit, or blood in the vomit
- A swollen belly, or severe pain in one spot, especially the lower right
- Vomiting after a head injury
- Very hard to wake, floppy, or confused
- Vomiting that lasts more than 24 hours, or any vomiting in a baby under three months
What helps at home
- Let the stomach rest for 30 to 60 minutes after a vomit, then start again with small amounts.
- One teaspoon of an oral rehydration solution every five minutes, doubling the amount every hour it stays down.
- Skip juice, soda, and sports drinks. Too much sugar makes diarrhea worse.
- Back to normal food as soon as they are hungry; there is no need for a bland diet anymore.
- Wash hands with soap and water and clean surfaces with bleach solution, since norovirus survives alcohol gel.
Frequently asked questions
- How long should a child stay home after vomiting?
- At least 24 hours after the last time they threw up, and only once they are eating and drinking normally. Most schools and daycares require the same.
- How do I rehydrate a child who keeps throwing up?
- Small and slow beats large and fast. Wait 30 to 60 minutes after a vomit, then give a teaspoon of oral rehydration solution every five minutes. If that stays down for an hour, double the amount.
- What are the signs of dehydration in a child?
- No urine for eight hours, no tears when crying, a dry mouth, sunken eyes, and unusual sleepiness. Any of these means call your pediatrician the same day.
- Is there a stomach bug going around my school?
- Stomach bugs are the fastest-moving illness in schools and the one parents log most often on Ickly. Follow your child's school to get a heads up when other families start reporting vomiting.
- When is vomiting an emergency in kids?
- Green or bloody vomit, vomiting after a head injury, a rigid or severely painful belly, or a child who cannot be woken properly all mean go in now rather than wait.
Is it going around right now?
Parents log sick days at their own schools and daycares on Ickly, so you can see whether vomiting is part of something moving through your child's classroom this week.
See what's going around near youOther symptom guides
General information for parents, not medical advice. Always contact your pediatrician or emergency services if you are worried about your child.