During your newborn's first few weeks, it's pretty common to see them vomiting as they're still adjusting to life outside the womb. However, vomiting can sometimes also be a sign of a more serious condition.
Should you be worried if your child vomits?
For the most part, if your baby vomits a small amount of milk while they're feeding, there's no need to worry about it since a lot of things can cause your baby to get sick. The most common culprits are indigestion or sometimes motion sickness. Even prolonged crying or coughing can cause your child to suffer from a fit of vomiting.
When your child suffers from vomiting, the best thing to do would be to keep your child hydrated. Fits of vomiting usually subside 6-24 hours after it starts, so there's no need to worry about it.
When should you be worried?
Vomiting can also be caused by more serious illnesses, such as gastroenteritis, which is also commonly accompanied by diarrhea. Sometimes a cold, a urine infection, or an ear infection can cause your child to start vomiting, and these are cases wherein you need to get your child to your pediatrician.
Food allergies can also cause vomiting, so it's important to know what types of food your child is eating so that you can easily identify if they might be allergic to a certain type of food.
However, there are more symptoms that occur along with vomiting which can be a sign of a serious illness:
- Signs of dehydration, such as dry mouth, lack of tears, a sunken fontanel, and using up fewer diapers than usual.
- Fever.
- Refusal to drink their milk.
- Vomiting with great force, or for more than 12 hours.
- A rash that doesn't fade when pressed.
- Irritability and sleepiness.
- A bulge in their fontanel.
- Shortness of breath.
- A swollen abdomen.
- Blood, bile, or other substances in their vomit.
If your child experiences any of these things while vomiting, then you need to take them immediately to your doctor, as it can be a sign of a more serious illness. It's also important to keep your child hydrated, and well-rested so that they can recover from their illness.
Source: babycentre.co.uk
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