What to do when a child has vomiting and diarrhea. Diarrhea and vomiting in a child - treatment at home

Any deviations from the norm in matters of the child’s health cause strong worries in parents. The simultaneous appearance of vomiting and diarrhea without fever in children is a sign of development pathological condition.

How to treat a child and what measures to take first largely depends on the causes of the complex of symptoms that characterize a particular disease.

Infantile vomiting and diarrhea without hyperthermia

Adverse reactions in the form of vomiting and diarrhea without body elevation in children can occur due to various factors. First of all, it is worth excluding an exacerbation of any chronic disease from the history of a child whose symptoms include stool disorders and vomiting.

The most common causes of a complex of symptoms are:

poisoning (food, drugs, chemicals, carbon monoxide, alcohol);
intestinal infections (rotavirus, dysentery, salmonellosis);
primary signs of acute inflammation of the epigastric organs (cholecystitis, pancreatitis, gastritis, ulcers) and appendicitis;
allergic reactions to medications and products;
infectious diseases (pneumonia, meningitis, encephalitis);
disorders of the central nervous system, traumatic brain injury;
sun or heatstroke;
acetone crisis;
dysbiosis.

Therapy will depend on the patient’s age, severity and clinical manifestations, and the identified disease. The more accurately the diagnosis is made and appropriate measures taken, the more effective the treatment.

Intestinal infections

One of the most common causes of vomiting and diarrhea without severe hyperthermia is developing in the intestines.

Classic symptoms:

vomiting independent of food intake (single or repeated);
diarrhea occurs more often than vomiting;
with a viral infection, watery stools appear, with a bacterial infection - mucous stools with a pungent odor and foam;
increasing cramping pain in the visceral area;
restlessness of the child, followed by drowsiness and reluctance to move;
refusal to eat and drink.

Treatment of children under one year of age is carried out only in inpatient settings. In other cases, the decision on hospitalization is made by the doctor depending on the course of the disease.

Treatment measures include:

Rehydration measures.
Introduction of enterosorbents and nitrofurans.
Antiviral or antibacterial therapy depending on the cause of diarrhea and vomiting.
Relief of painful conditions and reduction of temperature.
Restoration of microflora using probiotics.

Intoxication with various substances

Symptoms vary depending on the type of poisoning. The main features will be common:

exhausting frequent vomiting;
repeated loose stools without impurities with an unpleasant odor;
pallor of the epidermis and chills;
severe spasmodic pain in the abdomen;
refusal of water and food;
moodiness, followed by loss of strength and drowsiness;
When diarrhea and vomiting stop, the patient's condition does not improve.

Children under three years of age are subject to mandatory hospitalization. Treatment food poisoning implies:

Gastric lavage for elimination.
The use of nitrofurans and enterosorbents.
Restoring the water-salt balance of the body.
Therapy with anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic agents, probiotics.

Increasing acetone

Acetonemic intoxication causes a rapid deterioration in the child’s condition, characterized by:

sudden severe vomiting with repeated repetitions;
nausea, weakness, pallor;
the presence of the smell of acetone in vomit, urine and breath;
dehydration of the body;
abdominal cramps, rapid heartbeat;
increased temperature without timely treatment;
convulsions, lethargy, photophobia.

If acetone is detected in the urine, the following treatment measures are prescribed:

Colon lavage with soda enemas.
Alkaline drinking.
Replenishment of normal glucose levels in the body.
Special.

Allergic reaction

The occurrence of such a phenomenon may be associated with eating a new product or drug intolerance.

Signs of allergies:

vomiting and diarrhea appear after feeding or taking medication;
itching, redness and rashes on the skin;
breathing problems, swelling of the mucous membranes.

Therapy depends on the intensity of allergic manifestations. Antihistamines and absorbents are prescribed. Hormonal medications and hospital treatment are indicated in severe cases.

Relatively safe causes of diarrhea and vomiting

The occurrence of vomiting and diarrhea in children without fever is not always the basis for the development of serious diseases. Before consulting a doctor, it is necessary to exclude the following causes that do not require specific treatment:

psychogenic vomiting and diarrhea, occurring against the background of severe emotional overload (excitement, anxiety, overexcitation, shock);
nutritional errors (imbalance in the diet, intolerance to certain foods, too large amounts of food, food that is “heavy” for the child’s stomach);
acclimatization;
abundant mucous accumulations in the nasopharynx during a productive cough sometimes provoke attacks of vomiting;
incorrect introduction of complementary foods, overeating or teething in infants.

How do you treat children?
Vote

First aid

Vomiting and diarrhea with or without fever causes concern among parents and children. If unpleasant symptoms occur, it is important to choose the right tactics to alleviate the condition before the ambulance arrives:

Panic or strong emotional reactions from parents can frighten the child and worsen his condition. You need to calm the baby down and help rinse his mouth after vomiting. When choosing a lying position, the head should be higher than the level of the body and turned to one side. It is best to hold infants in an upright position.
Prevent dehydration using special pharmaceutical preparations to restore water-salt balance, or self-prepared electrolyte solutions. Important condition- fractional drinking. Give 1 tsp to infants, and larger volumes to older children every 10 minutes.
If food poisoning is suspected, the use of enterosorbents and probiotics is justified.
If a high temperature occurs, give an antipyretic in a convenient form. Wipe the body with a cloth soaked in warm water.
Do not feed until the condition improves, follow a diet after diagnosis.
Do not give anti-vomiting medications without a doctor’s prescription. Only after an examination and diagnosis that identifies the causes of the disorder, the specialist will determine how to treat the child.

When urgent medical attention is required

The likelihood of complications after the occurrence of physiological processes aimed at removing toxins and pathogenic microorganisms is quite high in the youngest patients.

Dehydration, sudden weight loss, risk of bleeding and suffocation during vomiting, aspiration pneumonia, coma and death - a list of consequences in the development of a chronic form of the pathological condition. The younger the child is, the faster dangerous symptoms appear.

Immediate contact with a medical facility is necessary in the following cases:

repeated attacks of vomiting and diarrhea, next friend behind a friend for three hours;
the presence of blood impurities in vomit and loose stools;
high fever and severe pain in the abdomen, neck and head;
refusal or inability to drink saline solution (water) due to incessant vomiting;
detecting signs of dehydration (lethargy, drowsiness, dry mucous membranes of the mouth and eyes, crying without tears, rare urination with a pungent odor and dark color, gray shade skin and loss of consciousness);
suspicion of poisoning from canned food, spoiled food, medicines, chemicals or poisons.

Single cases of vomiting and diarrhea without hyperthermia are not causes for concern. If the attacks are systematic and signs of dehydration are observed, it is necessary to consult a doctor to make a diagnosis and prescribe effective treatment.

Vomiting and diarrhea are common in children. These symptoms are associated with upset (inflammation) of the stomach and intestines due to a viral or bacterial infection. Together, diarrhea and vomiting are called gastroenteritis (colloquially, intestinal flu).

What causes vomiting and diarrhea?

The most common cause of vomiting and diarrhea in children is a virus called rotavirus, which is found in the stool of an infected person. Rotavirus can get on food, objects and surfaces if a person with intestinal flu does not wash their hands after using the toilet. Thus, infection of surrounding people occurs.

Young children are especially vulnerable to rotavirus infection because they often forget to wash their hands after using the toilet or before eating and have not yet developed immunity to rotavirus.

According to some estimates, almost every child under five years of age suffers from rotavirus infections, and many children become infected with intestinal flu several times a year. Children under 4 years of age are most susceptible to rotavirus.

Treatment of vomiting and diarrhea in children

In most cases, vomiting and diarrhea in children are moderate and disappear within 5–7 days without special treatment. However, young children (especially those under 1 year of age) are at increased risk of dehydration, so it is important that they drink enough fluids. In some cases, it is recommended to take special oral rehydration solutions.

In severe cases, significant loss requires treatment in hospital, where fluid can be replaced through a tube inserted through the nose or directly into a vein (using an IV). However, this does not happen often.

Prevention of vomiting and diarrhea

Because gastroenteritis is highly contagious, it is important to take steps to prevent your child from infecting other children and adult family members:

Make sure your child washes his hands properly before eating and after using the toilet;
don't let your child in kindergarten or school for at least two days after the last episode of diarrhea or vomiting.

There is also a rotavirus vaccine that can help reduce your child's risk of diarrhea and vomiting. This vaccination is included in mandatory list vaccinations for children from two to three months.

When to see a doctor

In most cases the symptoms stomach flu in children they pass on their own. However, consult a doctor in the following cases:

the child has vomiting more than 2 times a day, diarrhea more than 5 times a day, or the first symptoms of dehydration have already appeared;
your child has symptoms of a more severe illness;
vomiting occurs once or twice in a child within 3 days, and loose stool has been bothering me for 5 days;
the child has blood or mucus in the stool;
the child has recently been abroad;
The child has a weakened immune system due to a chronic illness, such as acute leukemia, or treatment, such as chemotherapy.

In these cases, call at home pediatrician. Using our service, you can easily find a clinic where you can make a house call.

If you cannot wait for a doctor because the child’s condition is deteriorating, call the ambulance number - 03 from a landline phone, 112 or 911 from a mobile phone.

Symptoms of gastroenteritis in children

The main symptoms of gastroenteritis are diarrhea and vomiting. The baby may also have other symptoms caused by the infection, such as heat(fever) and abdominal pain.

Vomiting should stop within one to three days, and diarrhea after five to seven days, but in some children it can last up to two weeks.

Signs of dehydration

Gastroenteritis can cause dehydration, which is more severe than the infection itself. It is important to know the symptoms of dehydration so you can recognize them in your child.

Symptoms of dehydration include:

dry mouth and eyes;
lack of tears when the baby cries;
sunken eyes;
irritability;
less frequent urination (less than once every eight hours);
drowsiness or confusion;
cold hands and feet;
paleness or marbling of the skin;
sunken fontanel (soft area on the baby's head);
rapid breathing.

Contact your pediatrician right away if you think your child is dehydrated. Using our service, you can find clinics where you can call a doctor at home and choose a good one. If you cannot wait for a doctor (for example, your child's condition continues to deteriorate), call an ambulance. Read more about how to help your child with dehydration before the doctor comes.

Dangerous symptoms of gastroenteritis in children

Symptoms of gastroenteritis (vomiting and diarrhea) can also begin more serious childhood illnesses. Therefore, it is very important to know their signs in order to suspect danger in time and take action.

Pay attention to the following warning signs:

temperature 38°C or higher in children under three months;
temperature 39°C or higher in children older than three months;
shortness of breath, difficulty breathing;
rapid breathing;
change of usual mental state, for example, confusion;
stiff neck (impossible to bring the chin closer to the chest);
swelling in the area of the large fontanel in children;
the appearance of a rash in the form of red spots that do not fade when pressed;
blood or mucus in stool;
green vomit;
intense abdominal pain;
increase in size, swelling of the abdomen;
vomiting for more than three days;
diarrhea for more than a week;
symptoms of dehydration that persist or worsen despite fluid replacement and oral rehydration solution.

If you notice any of the above symptoms or signs, immediately contact your pediatrician or call the emergency number - 03 from a landline phone, 112 or 911 from a mobile phone.

Causes of vomiting and diarrhea in children

As a rule, diarrhea and vomiting in children are associated with rotavirus infection, which affects the stomach and intestines. Rotavirus is highly contagious and often spreads among children due to poor personal hygiene.

The virus is shed in the stool. If the patient does not wash his hands after using the toilet, the virus can get on food, objects and surfaces, and then be transmitted to another child. Dust from dried feces or droplets of vomit can also become airborne and inhaled by children. The virus can survive for several days on surfaces or cutlery.

Young children are especially vulnerable to rotavirus infection because they often forget to wash their hands after using the toilet or before eating and have not yet developed a strong enough immune system.

Places of congestion large quantity children: playgrounds, nurseries and kindergartens are areas of increased risk of the spread of rotavirus infection.

Rotaviruses interfere with the absorption of fluid from digested food, so the main symptom of this infection is diarrhea, and the main complication is dehydration.

Other causes of vomiting and diarrhea

In rare cases, diarrhea and vomiting in children may be caused by causes other than rotavirus. These include the following:

In some cases, in addition to a stool test, a blood or urine test may be needed to rule out other diseases.

If symptoms of gastroenteritis appear in a child after a trip to another region or to foreign countries, especially with a warm climate, you can immediately contact an infectious disease specialist. With our service you can quickly or...

Treatment of gastroenteritis in children

Children with vomiting and diarrhea can usually be treated at home. In most cases, gastroenteritis (stomach flu) goes away within five to seven days.

When caring for your child, take steps to prevent the spread of infection. Keep your child away from daycare or school for at least two days after the last episode of diarrhea or vomiting.

Treatment of dehydration

During treatment, it is important to determine whether your child is dehydrated.

Factors that increase the risk of dehydration:

child under 1 year (especially the first 6 months);
children born with low body weight, up to 2 years;
loose stools 5 or more times per day;
vomited 2 or more times per day;
the drink taken is immediately vomited, the child cannot retain liquid;
The baby refuses breast milk.

Contact your pediatrician if you are at risk of dehydration or have the first symptoms of dehydration. If you cannot wait for a doctor (for example, the child’s condition is deteriorating), call the ambulance number - 03 from a landline phone, 112 or 911 from a mobile phone.

The pediatrician or emergency doctor who comes to the call will examine the child and decide whether the baby can be treated at home or hospitalization is necessary.

Diet for gastroenteritis

If your baby is not showing signs of dehydration and is unlikely to develop them, continue to feed as usual. breast milk, other dairy products or mixtures.

If your child is already used to solid foods, try to have him start eating as soon as the vomiting stops. As a rule, simple foods rich in carbohydrates are recommended, such as bread, rice or pasta.

Fasting will not help the diarrhea stop faster and may even prolong it. It is not recommended to drink juices or carbonated drinks, as they can worsen diarrhea.

Oral rehydration

If your child has signs of dehydration, in addition to the above recommendations, it is advisable to use special oral rehydration products for dehydration.

They usually come in sachets and can be purchased at pharmacies without a prescription. Dissolve the powder in water according to the instructions. This solution helps restore the supply of salt, glucose and other important minerals that the child loses along with the liquid.

If your child vomits after drinking the solution, wait 5-10 minutes and give him more solution. Let him drink slowly good way- Give him a spoonful of solution every few minutes. Contact your pediatrician if your child vomits every time after taking the solution.

Other treatments for gastroenteritis

If your child is in pain and has a fever, give him paracetamol. Young children may find it easier to swallow liquid paracetamol than tablets. Children under 16 years of age should not be given aspirin.

As a rule, antivomiting (antiemetics) and diarrhea medications for gastroenteritis are not recommended for children, as they may have side effects.

Antibiotics are also usually not used to treat gastroenteritis (intestinal flu) in children, since in most cases the disease is viral in nature. Even vomiting and diarrhea caused by bacterial infections usually go away without antibiotics. Independent use of antibiotics to treat mild gastroenteritis increases the risk of microbial resistance to antibiotics. Medicines from this group are taken only as prescribed by a doctor, in severe cases of gastroenteritis.

Treatment in hospital

dullness of consciousness, such as drowsiness or unresponsiveness to the environment;
cardiopalmus;
rapid breathing;
weak pulse.

Your doctor may send you and your baby to the hospital if home treatment, including oral rehydration, doesn't help and your baby's condition worsens (for example, your baby keeps vomiting).

In the hospital, to replenish fluid loss, the child will have a nasogastric tube (a thin tube through the nose into the stomach), which will be used to give fluid and medications. Another way to treat dehydration in the hospital is through fluid therapy. This is the introduction of fluids into a vein using an IV. Most children respond well to treatment and can be discharged after a few days.

Prevention of gastroenteritis in children

Because gastroenteritis is so easily spread from one person to another, it is important to take steps to prevent your child from infecting other children.

Make sure your child washes their hands thoroughly before eating and after using the toilet;
thoroughly wash the potty or toilet bowl with disinfectant after each attack of diarrhea or vomiting, be sure to wash the seat and door handle;
Wash your hands regularly, especially after changing your baby's diaper or cleaning the potty;
Provide your child with separate towels, linen, cutlery and dishes;
If feces get on clothing or bedding, wash them separately from other items at the highest possible temperature (for example, for bedding - 60°C or higher), removing the feces first.

Observe quarantine:

Keep your child away from day care or school for at least two days after the last episode of diarrhea or vomiting;
Don't let your child go to the pool for at least two weeks after a bout of diarrhea - even if he no longer has symptoms; Research has proven that during this period, rotavirus can be transmitted to other children through water.

Prevention of intestinal infection

Following good food hygiene will help prevent diarrhea and vomiting as a result of food poisoning. Follow these steps:

Wash your hands, surfaces and utensils regularly hot water with soap;
do not store raw and cooked food together;
store food in the refrigerator at the proper temperature;
follow the cooking rules;
never eat food that has expired.

Vaccination against rotavirus infection

Children can now receive the rotavirus vaccine, which helps protect children from gastroenteritis caused by rotavirus.

The vaccine is given as drops in the mouth, in three stages. It is recommended to vaccinate children between 6 and 32 weeks. The interval between taking subsequent doses of the vaccine is 4-10 weeks.

The main side effects of the vaccine are diarrhea, vomiting and fever, but these are usually mild and go away quickly.

Localization and translation prepared by site. NHS Choices provided the original content for free. It is available from www.nhs.uk. NHS Choices has not reviewed, and takes no responsibility for, the localization or translation of its original content

All site materials have been checked by doctors. However, even the most reliable article does not allow us to take into account all the features of the disease in a particular person. Therefore, the information posted on our website cannot replace a visit to the doctor, but only complements it. The articles have been prepared for informational purposes and are advisory in nature.

“I ate something wrong,” - probably everyone says this phrase at least once in their life. Unfortunately, the trouble called vomiting and diarrhea is familiar to both adults and children.

When faced with vomiting and diarrhea, the sick person often swallows the first antidiarrheal drug found in the home medicine cabinet, hoping that it will go away on its own. Despite their prevalence, they should not be perceived as something banal and ignored.

Such troubles indicate a malfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, impaired digestion and absorption of food. The reasons for this can be very diverse. Therefore, such manifestations should be taken seriously, especially when it comes to children.

Infectious causes

Damage to the stomach by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. Today, this spiral-shaped bacterium is the most common cause of gastric pathologies. It lives on the mucous layer of the stomach, releasing toxins and damaging the protective lining of the organ. The result is vomiting, pain in the epigastric region, bloating, nausea. Diarrhea can occur due to the ingestion of food that is not prepared for digestion. However, in most cases, gastric pathologies cause vomiting without diarrhea.
Damage to the gastrointestinal tract by a viral infection, most often rotavirus. Accompanied characteristic symptoms: vomiting and diarrhea (stool becomes watery, pale yellow), fever, pain in the abdomen. At the beginning of the disease, a sore throat and runny nose may occur. The disease most often affects children. In an adult, there may be no acute symptoms other than minor discomfort.
Intestinal infection of a bacterial nature. Unlike a viral infection, such a disease takes a little longer to develop, recovery occurs after more long time. Diarrhea with pathological impurities (mucus, blood, foam), vomiting and temperature appear, sometimes increasing to high values. Toxins released by pathogenic bacteria pose a particular danger.

Important! Diarrhea and vomiting caused by bacteria are a protective reaction of the body, which seeks to get rid of the pathogens that have entered it and the toxins they release.

If vomiting often bothers you at night against the background of acute pain in the stomach and brings visible relief, such symptoms indicate the development of a peptic ulcer.

Children, elderly people, and those with gastrointestinal pathologies are most susceptible to intestinal infections.

Food poisoning

Vomiting and diarrhea often occur as a result of eating low-quality foods. The most common causes of food poisoning are E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

Food poisoning is characterized by a sudden onset: the body tries to get rid of the source of damage as quickly as possible.

The first symptoms of intoxication appear several hours after eating: nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea (smelly, watery, with inclusions of undigested food). I am bothered by cramps and cutting pains in the abdomen.

The greatest danger is poisoning after eating mushrooms, manifested by severe abdominal pain, uncontrollable vomiting, and increased sweating. In such a situation, urgent hospitalization is required.

Chemical poisoning

Chemical poisoning can happen under a wide variety of circumstances. Careless handling of household chemicals, fertilizers, paints, and medications can have negative consequences.

IN childhood Chemical poisoning often occurs due to the curiosity of a child who tastes everything that comes to hand.

Upon penetration of poisonous chemical substances vomiting and diarrhea occur in the digestive tract, often with characteristics due to burns of the mucous membranes. Black vomit and mushy black stool indicate internal bleeding.

In such a situation, you need to call an ambulance, and before it arrives, if possible, rinse the victim’s stomach and give sorbent.

Dyspeptic disorders when infected with helminths are often accompanied by sleep disturbances, causeless fatigue, skin rashes and allergic manifestations, and a general decrease in immunity.

Inflammatory pathologies of the digestive organs

Vomiting and diarrhea may indicate a variety of organ dysfunctions digestive system. Some of them, the most common ones, can be deadly due to their complications.

Pancreatitis is an inflammatory pathology of the pancreas. Severe pain occurs that can cause painful shock. The temperature rises to high levels, the complexion becomes sallow. Vomiting of bile appears, which does not provide relief. Constipation or diarrhea with foamy, foul-smelling stool may occur.
Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix of the cecum. At the beginning of the disease, diffuse abdominal pain appears, gradually moving to the lower right part. Vomiting occurs as a painful reaction, usually 1-2 times. Intoxication increases, which leads to the onset of diarrhea. A decrease in pain during appendicitis is a signal that the disease has progressed to a serious condition: the inflamed appendix is bursting. Urgent surgical intervention is required.
Cholecystitis is an inflammation localized in the gallbladder. It can be acute or chronic. In the acute form, pain is felt in the right hypochondrium, nausea and vomiting appear, which does not provide relief. The temperature rises and the pulse quickens. The skin acquires a yellowish tint due to disruption of the normal movement of bile. These symptoms are often accompanied by diarrhea, especially if we are talking about a chronic form of the disease.

As such pathologies of the digestive organs develop, they can cause peritonitis – purulent inflammation of the membrane lining the inside of the abdominal wall. Manifestations of peritonitis: sharp pain, worsening with changes in position, nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, sweating, shallow breathing. The abdomen becomes hard due to protective muscle tension.

Important! This condition is life-threatening; time is often counted on the clock. Urgent hospitalization and, as a rule, emergency surgery are required.

What to give for vomiting and diarrhea, what steps to take first

If your stomach hurts severely with vomiting and diarrhea, the first thing to do is to rule out a disease that can lead to peritonitis (for example, appendicitis). This requires a medical examination. Before visiting a doctor, it is forbidden to give, as they will not allow you to recognize all the symptoms of the disease and may cause an incorrect diagnosis.

You cannot start treatment with antidiarrheal drugs with a fixing effect (Immodium, Loperamide). By temporarily relieving unpleasant symptoms, they can complicate the development of the disease. In case of acute lesions of the digestive tract, diarrhea and vomiting are a natural protective mechanism.

If you suspect food poisoning, you should not get carried away with antiemetics. Vomiting at the initial stage of development of the disease cleanses the stomach of poisons and toxins.

Prevent dehydration

With vomiting and severe diarrhea A serious complication is dehydration: the body quickly loses fluid. This contributes to disruptions in the functioning of organs and systems.

Dehydration is especially dangerous in children. The less the child weighs, the faster it develops. Characteristic signs dehydration in childhood: decreased number of urinations, dry mucous membranes, sunken fontanel and crying without tears in babies. After pinching, the skin slowly (over 2 seconds or more) returns to its original state.

In the past, the leading causes of death from diarrhea were dehydration caused by fluid loss.

Treatment of diarrhea and vomiting in a child should begin with rehydration (sweating).

In order not to cause new attacks of vomiting, this is done fractionally, but often, using a teaspoon. When feeding children, if necessary, use a pipette or syringe with the needle removed.

For rehydration, solutions of medications are used (Regidron, Oralit, Enterodes, Gatsrolit). At home, you can prepare dried fruit compote, a decoction of rice cereal, dried blueberries, rose hips, and tea without sugar.

At an early age, when the child is one year old or less, in some cases hospitalization is required for rehydration in a hospital setting.

Getting rid of unwanted symptoms: medicine for vomiting and diarrhea

Antibacterial therapy, which until recently was actively used for diarrhea and vomiting, today is prescribed only taking into account the type of pathogen identified by a special analysis and in case of a particularly severe course of the disease.

The use of folk remedies for diarrhea and vomiting

Along with medications, it is permissible to use drugs for digestive disorders traditional medicine, remembering that they are only part of a comprehensive treatment.

Chamomile flowers have an anti-inflammatory effect. They soothe the irritated intestinal mucosa and stop the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms.

Chamomile decoction. You will need dry raw materials and water in a ratio of 1:10. Pour chamomile with lukewarm water, bring to a boil, simmer in a water bath for 30-40 minutes. When the broth has cooled to a warm state, strain it and dilute with boiled water to 400 ml. Drink ½ glass 4 times a day after meals. This product cannot be stored for longer than a day.
Chamomile infusion. Pour 1 tablespoon of dry raw materials into a thermos, add 200 ml of boiling water. After steeping for 2-4 hours, strain and consume 3-4 times a day.
Chamomile tea. It can be prepared from filter bags sold in pharmacies. In the absence of such, pour boiling water (200-250 ml) over a teaspoon of flowers and brew for 10 minutes. Drink this tea 3-4 times a day after meals.

A decoction of dill seeds will help cope with vomiting and eliminate bloating. A teaspoon of dry raw material is poured with 200 ml of boiling water and kept on low heat for 2 minutes. After cooling, the broth is filtered. The product is suitable for use in children.

Mint infusion calms nausea and vomiting. Pour 2 tablespoons of dry crushed raw materials into a thermos and add ½ liter of boiling water. After 2 hours, the infusion will be ready. After straining, adults should take 1 tablespoon, children 1 teaspoon at intervals of an hour.

A popular home remedy for diarrhea in adults and children is rice water. To prepare it, take 0.5 liters of water for 2 tablespoons of cereal and cook for half an hour over low heat. After this, the dishes need to be covered with something warm to “evaporate”. The cooled broth is ready for use. It is recommended to drink it 3-4 times a day in a dosage of 50 to 100 ml (depending on age).

Diet for vomiting and diarrhea

Drug therapy for a person suffering from these ailments must be combined with a special diet.

During the period of acute manifestations, appetite is usually absent. It is important to drink enough fluids when vomiting and diarrhea, and it makes sense to postpone eating until the uncomfortable symptoms subside.

Until digestion is restored, the basis of nutrition should be easily digestible dishes: semi-liquid porridge with water, dried bread, pureed soups in recycled or vegetable broth, lean types of meat in the form of meatballs and steamed cutlets, boiled and vegetable stew, free of coarse fiber, baked apples.

Anton palaznikov

Gastroenterologist, therapist

Work experience more than 7 years.

Professional skills: diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and biliary system.

The simultaneous occurrence of vomiting and loose stools in a child is an unfavorable sign for the baby’s health. Why can such a combination of symptoms occur, what is its danger and how to help a child with vomiting and diarrhea?

How does it manifest?

Before vomiting, the child usually experiences nausea, weakness, chills, and pallor. The muscles of the stomach, diaphragm and abdominal wall contract, causing the contents of the upper digestive tract to be expelled through oral cavity out (sometimes through the nose).

The appearance of diarrhea is indicated by the release of liquid feces, which may be watery and contain various impurities. The child also has a frequent urge to go to the toilet. The more often vomiting occurs and the more times the baby defecates, the faster the child weakens and the risk of dehydration increases.

Symptoms and possible causes, what to do?

Most common reasons The appearance in children of a combination of symptoms such as bouts of vomiting and loose stools is infection of the digestive tract and poisoning. Both vomiting and diarrhea act as protective reactions of the child’s body to the ingress of harmful bacteria, viruses, poor-quality food, toxic substances, medications and other harmful compounds. A little less often, vomiting and loose stools may occur for other reasons.

Let's consider possible reasons occurrence of such symptoms in more detail:

Cause	How does it manifest in a child?	What parents need to do
Intestinal infection	Vomiting that does not bring relief, fever, refusal to eat, colic-like pain in the abdomen, loose stools with an unpleasant odor, discoloration and often with impurities.	Call an ambulance and, before the doctor arrives, collect some of the vomit and feces for testing, and also begin replenishing lost fluid and minerals with saline solutions.
Poisoning	Repeated vomiting, chills, pallor, cold to the touch extremities, liquefied stools of normal color without impurities, severe spasmodic pain in the abdomen, refusal to eat, lethargy. After diarrhea and vomiting, the child's condition improves slightly.	Immediately call an ambulance, perform gastric lavage and start giving rehydration solutions.
Allergy to a medicine or new food	The appearance of vomiting and loose stools after feeding or taking medication (there are no impurities in the secreted masses), skin changes (redness, itching, rash), sometimes difficulty breathing and swelling of the mucous membranes.	Call a doctor to clarify the diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment.
How do you know that treatment is helping? After starting treatment, parents will be able to see that the therapy really helps if: The child's health has improved. Episodes of vomiting and loose stools became much less frequent, and then stopped completely. The child's mood improved and his appetite appeared.

Most parents think that diarrhea and vomiting in a child are symptoms of an intestinal disorder or food poisoning. Also, some decide that such signs can be caused simply by overeating and eating stale food. In fact, vomiting and diarrhea in a child may indicate the presence of a dangerous disease caused by an infection. If not properly treated, in this case the disease can lead to very serious consequences.

Attention! You should not wait for the symptoms to go away on their own or try to start treatment at home. In such situations, you first need to consult a doctor in order to prescribe treatment as quickly as possible.

If a child has diarrhea and vomiting, this may indicate the presence of a number of diseases. The reasons for the appearance of these symptoms can be not only factors related to nutrition, but also other reasons associated with decreased immunity or other diseases within the body. In order to quickly eliminate painful symptoms and improve the baby’s general condition, it is necessary to determine the cause of painful symptoms as quickly as possible.

The following conditions can cause diarrhea and vomiting in a child:

Infections in the intestines: dysentery, escherichiosis, salmonellosis and rotavirus. Signs of these infections include not only vomiting and diarrhea, but also fever. Moreover, the temperature can rise to 40 degrees.
Infectious diseases such as pneumonia, otitis media, meningitis or pharyngitis.
Poisoning with poor quality products. In this case, diarrhea and vomiting in children become the first signs of these diseases.
Intolerance to any medicine, product or complementary foods. In this regard, vomiting and diarrhea may occur in the infant.
The appearance of severe nausea after taking antibacterial agents due to a violation of the microflora in the stomach and intestines.
The cause of vomiting and diarrhea in a baby can be stomach diseases. These include gastroesophageal reflux, pylorospasm, gastritis, intussusception, duodenitis, pyloric stenosis, etc. No elevated temperature is observed.
Gallbladder pathologies.
Pathological conditions in the central nervous system. Vomiting and diarrhea in a one-year-old child in this case may indicate the presence of a tumor in the brain or a pressure surge inside the skull.
Entry of a foreign object into the digestive tract.
Factors related to psychology. This group may include stress, strong emotional experiences, forcing a child to eat, fears and resentments.
The baby may experience diarrhea and vomiting when teething. In addition, infants often experience normal regurgitation, which is not an alarming symptom; there is no need to worry about this.
Incorrect, unbalanced diet.
Climate change.

In order to understand why diarrhea and vomiting appeared, you need to remember what the baby ate before these signs appeared. Perhaps someone else in the family has experienced similar symptoms. If nothing unusual was noticeable, and the diet remained the same, you need to look at the emetics and feces. Perhaps they can tell you the cause of the illness.

Additional signs

Even before the specialist arrives, parents have a chance to understand what is happening with their baby. If a one-year-old child has vomiting and diarrhea, you should definitely pay attention to the presence of fever and the condition of feces and vomit. These signs can provide more complete information about the disease. For example, a high temperature in most cases means the onset of an inflammatory process in the body.

The presence or absence of temperature may indicate the following:

Vomiting and diarrhea in a child without fever most often indicate digestive problems, gallbladder or about the beginning allergic reaction or poisoning.
Vomiting in a one-year-old child, as well as diarrhea and a fever of up to 37 degrees may indicate teething, food poisoning, or the presence of rotavirus.
If a child has vomiting, diarrhea and elevated body temperature, up to 39 degrees, then we can definitely talk about an inflammatory process.

If a child experiences additional pain in the abdominal area with vomiting and diarrhea, it is important to determine the nature and location of the pain:

Abdominal colic indicates the presence of an infection in the intestines.
Abdominal cramps accompanied by severe pain are evidence of food poisoning.
The appearance of colic some time after eating, combined with rumbling in the stomach, indicates dysbacteriosis.

You should pay attention to the smell of the released masses during diarrhea and vomiting in a child. If there is a sour smell, then the cause of the disease probably lies in gastroesophageal reflux. If there is a strong odor, we can talk about digestive poisoning or intestinal infection.

Based on the characteristics of feces, one can also draw a conclusion about the condition of the child. If loose stools have watery impurities, then most likely there is a viral infection in the newborn’s body. Foamy impurities indicate a bacterial infection or dysbacteriosis. If a child's diarrhea is accompanied by bloody inclusions, we are talking about digestive poisoning. The presence of food residues in the stool indicates an incorrectly selected diet or an allergic reaction of the body.

Based on the nature of vomiting and urge, one can also draw conclusions regarding the cause of the appearance of such symptoms. If the vomit does not change throughout the entire period, and parents observe increased diarrhea in their child, we can talk about the presence of an infection in the intestines. As a rule, if the body is intolerant to any product, the urge to vomit appears immediately after eating. If a child vomits 2 times and no more, then most likely he has dysbacteriosis. Small spitting up after feeding the baby indicates reflux. And, conversely, profuse vomiting in a fountain indicates pyloric stenosis.

If diarrhea and vomiting in children do not depend on feeding in any way and occur unexpectedly, the cause most likely lies in damage to the central nervous system. Vomiting and diarrhea during teething are not cyclical and not profuse. If there are blood inclusions in the vomit, we can talk about damage to the esophagus, gastric or duodenal ulcers, as well as severe intoxication due to consumption of mushrooms or berries.

In infants, symptoms are in most cases vague. However, with pathology, a rapid increase in the severity of symptoms can be noted. After a year, the signs become clearer, so it becomes much easier to determine the nature of the lesion.

How can I help?

If a child has diarrhea and vomiting, parents should understand what to do based on the characteristics of the vomit and feces, call an ambulance or try to cope with the problem themselves. It should be noted that if you managed to eliminate the painful symptoms on your own, you still need to take the child to the pediatrician in the future to rule out serious illnesses.

If vomiting and diarrhea occur, you need to perform the following steps:

If, in addition to nausea and diarrhea, the baby also has a high temperature, you should urgently call an ambulance.
It is advisable to seat the baby in a chair so that the head is tilted forward. This is necessary so that the vomit that comes out does not enter the lungs.
After each urge to vomit, it is necessary to rinse the mouth, and after defecation, wash the child.
You should not give your baby plain water, as it may cause the urge to vomit again.
You should not feed your baby for the first six hours, as this will only make the vomiting worse. Only moderate drinking is recommended at this time.
For children, Regidron is a good drug that helps prevent dehydration from diarrhea and vomiting.
You can also give your child green tea or compote; other drinks and herbal decoctions are prohibited.
If the ambulance has not yet arrived, rectal suppositories for children that eliminate fever can be used for diarrhea and vomiting, and suspensions are suitable for babies after one year.
It is necessary to constantly monitor the child, if possible, leave vomit or feces until the ambulance arrives.

After providing first aid, the child should feel better. In the future, upon arrival at the hospital, the baby will have to undergo a series of tests so that doctors can make an accurate diagnosis.

Treatment

Treatment of diarrhea and vomiting involves eliminating the cause of their occurrence.

As a rule, after receiving the tests, the doctor has general idea about the picture of the disease and can select a specific treatment regimen. Some points to consider in therapy:

Diarrhea and vomiting in a child under one year of age can only be treated in a hospital setting.
Anti-vomiting medications: Domperidone, Metoclopramide, Motilac.
Medicine for diarrhea: Loperamide, Uzara, Loflatil.
In the presence of severe food poisoning, gastric lavage is performed.
In case of intoxication, Smecta is used for vomiting in children. The drugs Enterosgel, Sorbex, Polysorb, Silix, Polyphepan have a similar effect.
To restore microflora after antibiotics, probiotics, the drugs Lactofiltrum, Hilak Forte, Linex, are used.
To eliminate spasms, No-shpa, Papaverine or Drotaverine are usually prescribed.
To restore electrolyte and water-salt balance, Regidron, Glucosolan and other solutions with added salt are used.

If there are other causes of vomiting and diarrhea, your doctor may prescribe additional medications or procedures.