Care for Vomiting and Diarrhea

Vomiting and diarrhea are common signs of an acute viral illness.  

Follow this step by step guide to care for your child with vomiting.

After 3 hours of no vomiting, you child may begin sipping clear fluids such as Sprite, Gatorade, ginger ale. Children less than 12 months, use Pedialyte. "Sipping" is equivalent to about a teaspoonful of liquid every 15 minutes. These small frequent sips are the key to controlling vomiting. 

After several hours without vomiting, you may give 1 or 2 crackers and increase the amount of clear liquid given.

 Continue with clear liquids and add some bland foods. 

• Saltine crackers
• Jell-O
• Applesauce
• Bananas
• Rice-plain
• Toast - plain
• Oatmeal-plain or with bananas
• Rice cakes- plain
• Noodles- plain
• Sherbet

• No milk or dairy for 2 to 3 days.  This includes yogurt, cheese, milk shakes, ice cream
• No fatty foods.  This includes chicken nuggets, french fries, potato chips, hamburgers, pizza
• No spicy or acidic foods such as spaghetti and mexican food
• No sugary foods such as full strength juice or candy

•  Not urinating 3 times in 24 hours
• Dry mouth, cracked lips
• No tears with crying
• Decreased activity
• Irritability
• Sunken soft spot on an infant

Follow this step by step guide to care for your child with diarrhea.

 *IF YOU SEE BLOOD IN YOUR CHILD'S DIARRHEA, YOU SHOULD NOTIFY US.

 **Do not give your child anti-diarrhea medicines like Kaopectate or Immodium! 

It is better to let the diarrhea run its course to rid the body of the virus. Certain foods may help with diarrhea include bananas, plain cereal, applesauce, and toast. Do not give full strenth juice. Do not give fatty foods. 

Probiotics may also be of help. These are supplements that help restore the good bacteria in the intestines so that it can heal. Examples of probiotics are Florastor Kids and BioGaia. These are available without a prescription. CVS Pharmacies usually stock them, but you may be able to find them elsewhere. Ask the pharmacist for help!