Nausea and Vomiting
Adults and Teens
Infants and Children
Nausea and vomiting can be caused by many things, including viruses, bacteria, parasites, motion sickness, diseases of the gut, and medications. An episode of vomiting is not likely to be harmful, but if your child is constantly vomiting, it may be due to a more serious condition and may lead to dehydration.
Can I treat this at home or do I need a doctor?
Your child needs to see a doctor right away for nausea or vomiting if he or she:
- is vomiting for more than 6 hours
- may have been exposed to something poisonous
- is younger than 6 months
- has been experiencing nausea or vomiting for more than 3 days
- seems to be limp, confused, less responsive, or more sleepy than usual
- has symptoms of dehydration:
- dry mouth, tongue, and skin
- no tears when crying
- sunken eyes
- sunken fontanelle (soft spot on the top of the head)
- decreased urination (less than 4 wet diapers in 24 hours)
- urinating less frequently
- irritability, listlessness, low energy, or will not calm or stop crying when you soothe him or her
- decreased skin turgor (when you pinch and release the skin, the skin flattens slowly)
- is vomiting blood or has vomit that is green or coffee-coloured
- has a temperature higher than 38.5°C
- has had a head injury
- has severe abdominal pain
- has recently started on a new medication
- has lost weight
Home treatment
Non-medication treatment
The purpose of treatment is to make sure your child does not become dehydrated. If your child does not have the signs and symptoms previously listed, you can try the following:
- Use oral rehydration solutions (ORS, e.g., Pedialyte®, Enfalyte®, and others).
- ORS are available in any pharmacy without a prescription and they come as liquid or powder. If you use the powder, you will need to follow the instructions on the package precisely to mix with the right amount of water before use. The liquid form is premixed and ready to use. Talk to your pharmacist about which ORS is right for your child.
- Start by giving your child 1 teaspoonful every couple of minutes. If your child is able to keep it down, increase the amount you give each time and the time in between each.
- If your child keeps vomiting, wait 30 minutes before trying ORS again. Give smaller amounts each time but more frequently.
- If your child does not like the taste of ORS, you can try mixing 2 part ORS with 1 part water, or use ORS that comes as freezies or popsicles.
- Continue to give ORS until your child stops vomiting and is able to go back on his or her regular diet.
- Continue breast-feeding (if your child is being breast-fed).
- In addition to ORS, keep breast-feeding your child as much as he or she is able to take in. Feed in smaller amounts but more frequently.
- Restart regular foods 12 to 24 hours after starting oral hydration therapy (if your child is taking baby formula or eating solid foods).
- Try acupressure wristbands (e.g., Seabands®).
- These bands put pressure on an acupuncture point on your child's wrist and may help reduce nausea.
- For motion sickness:
- Encourage your child to look out the window instead of reading books or playing games.
- Give your child small, frequent meals instead of larger ones. Try bland foods like toast or rice and avoid fatty foods and dairy products.
- Find a place where your child can get some cool, fresh air.
Over-the-counter medications
There is usually no need to use medication to stop the vomiting unless directed by your doctor. Anti-nausea medication includes dimenhydrinate* (e.g., Gravol®) and promethazine (e.g., Histantil). However, be aware that anti-nausea medication can make children excitable instead of drowsy (how adults normally respond). These may not be appropriate for all children. Check with your health care provider first.
What not to do
Here are some things you shouldn't try and why:
- Don't use soft drinks as oral rehydration therapy. These fluids do not contain the right balance of salt, sugar, and other ingredients. Also, some soft drinks have caffeine in them, which can dehydrate your child even more.
- Don't use only water as oral rehydration therapy. Water doesn't contain the salt and sugar that your child needs. It's best to use oral rehydration solutions.
- Don't use home-made fluid replacement solutions. The recipes may not have the right combination of salt, sugar, and fluid. Using this may put your child in danger of electrolyte (salt) imbalance.
* All medications have both common (generic) and brand names. The brand name is what a specific manufacturer calls the product (e.g., Tylenol®). The common name is the medical name for the medication (e.g., acetaminophen). A medication may have many brand names, but only one common name. This article lists medications by their common names. For information on a given medication, check our Drug Information database. For more information on brand names, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.
What to expect
The nausea and vomiting should go away and your child should be feeling better in 1 to 3 days.
Your child should see a doctor if:
- your child is vomiting more, vomiting for 6 hours or more, or feeling worse
- the nausea or vomiting does not go away in 3 days
- your child vomits usually at night or in the morning or has a pattern to the timing of the vomiting
- your child has any of the signs and symptoms listed previously
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