Causes, Treatments, And Prevention Of Child Vomiting & Nausea | Children's & Teens Health slideshows | Family Health center

Vomiting: Why We Do It?

As gross as it is, vomiting is the way in which the body expels the unwanted toxins that can harm us when we ingest them. This is one of the ways in which we have evolved to protect us from the toxins that exist. When we try to eat something that would be harmful to our bodies, one of the many triggers for this response is activated, causing us to start vomiting. The two most powerful triggers that we have are smell and taste. The next trigger is when people around you throw up, you want to do it as well.

Sources & Links

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Photo courtesy of Andres Lucero by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/geekdreams/212790069/
www.webmd.com/parenting/features/adventures-in-vomiting
http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/abdominal/pages/Treating-Vomiting.aspx?nfstatus=401&nftoken=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000&nfstatusdescription=ERROR%3a+No+local+token
http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/emergencies/vomit.html
http://www.drugs.com/cg/vomiting-in-children.html
http://www.healthline.com/health/nausea-and-vomiting

What Causes Vomiting In Children?

There are several reasons why children vomit. Maybe they caught an infection from one of their friends while being around them. Or maybe they ate something that did not agree with their stomachs. Food allergies are quite common during childhood and these irritations can sometimes persist into adulthood. Eating way too much will surely make us want to get rid of the extra food. After all, our stomachs are only made to hold a certain amount of food. They could be feeling a little stressed. Anxiety can cause us to throw up sometimes. Sometimes the stress becomes too much and to release, we release our lunch.

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Gastroenteritis Is The Most Common Cause

Gastroenteritis is a medical disorder that is the result of inflammation or an erosion of the lining of the stomach. It is a disorder of gastrointestinal tract that is usually sudden. Gastritis can be caused by many different sources. This illness is also referred to as “stomach flu”. Gastroenteritis can be caused by a virus, parasites or a bacterium. This disorder begins to show symptoms as soon as the parasite attacks the digestive tract of the child. The most common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Bacterial invasion causes severe symptoms.

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Chronic Stomach Conditions

There are many different chronic stomach conditions that can cause discomfort throughout the day. From gastroparesis to Crohn’s Disease, many people suffer from chronic stomach conditions every day. Many people do not know that they have they have a chronic condition until they start experiencing the alarming symptoms that take them out of their comfort zone. Other chronic stomach conditions, like diarrhea, are easy to spot due to the symptoms of the disease. Dealing with chronic stomach conditions is not easy and will take time to heal. It may also take time for you and your doctor to find the best treatment plan to help you cope with the effects of the disorder.

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Treating Nausea And Vomiting At Home

Nausea and vomiting are never fun to have. There are many ways through which you can cut down the feeling of nausea. Make sure that you drink plenty of clear liquids. If your stomach is upset, the thicker liquids could make it worse. Stay in bed as long as you can since the only way that your body can properly heal itself is by getting plenty of rest and a soft diet. Refrain from drinking alcohol since we all know the consequences of heavy drinking. Make ginger your best friend since it is known as a stomach healer. Mint can also help relieve the nausea.

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Watch Out For Dehydration

Dehydration is your worst enemy when it comes to having an upset stomach. It is quite possible for you to become dehydrated. Dehydration makes the nausea worse. Making sure that the body is properly hydrated requires more than just water. There are also vitamins and minerals that you have to make sure to have in your system. Drinking just straight water while you are sick will deplete your body of the essential nutrients that are essential for our body. Making sure that you are properly hydrated will speed up the healing process of your body.

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Modify Your Child's Diet

The BRAT diet is one that many pediatricians advice their patients to use. The diet helps patients with stomach problems from the earliest of years to the oldest. It basically consists of bananas, rice, apples, and toast. This gives people the nutrition that they need without giving them something that will irritate their stomachs. Although bland and boring, this has been used for many years. This diet contains high fiber foods that help soothe the stomach. This can be the difference between a fast healing and having the illness for a week or more.

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Possible Complications

There are many possible complications of vomiting that can happen to anyone. One of the most dangerous is when the vomit enters the respiratory tract. The respiratory tract is extremely sensitive. Vomit has stomach acids that can damage the respiratory tract. In most cases, the body will either cough or gag to prevent this from happening. In some, more rare cases, a person can choke on their own vomit. The other complication that is more commonly seen is the destruction of the tooth enamel that protects the teeth. The acids of the stomach can wear the enamel thin and, if the vomiting continues, can actually completely remove the enamel.

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When To Seek For Medical Care

It can be quite difficult to understand exactly when to seek medical treatment for vomiting. When coupled with chest pain, cramping, fainting, confusion, a stiff neck, or skin that is clammy to the touch you may need to call an ambulance. If you have a headache, you are unable to drink anything for the past twelve hours, or your vomit looks like it contains blood; you should go to the emergency room. If you are concerned but are unsure of exactly what is going on with your body, you may want to call your doctor and schedule a visit. Your doctor can provide you with information on what is going on and ways of treating the vomiting.

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Preventing Vomiting

There are several ways that you can prevent your body from vomiting. The first way to keep your body from vomiting is to eat smaller meals. Eating large meals can make you overproduce stomach acid which irritates the lining of the stomach. To protect itself, the body will induce vomiting to release the massive amount of stomach acid. Make sure not to drink too much alcohol as well. Many movies and TV shows have made light on what happens when you drink too much. Sipping on sugary drinks may help calm your stomach. Ginger is one of the most used home remedies to relieve an upset stomach. Anti-emetic drugs are prescribed by the doctors, but it is better to consult your doctor before taking any kind of drug.