Apr 20, 09 | Posted by: David Melbye, M.D.

Vomiting and diarrhea

There is a new season in town, and unfortunately it is not just baseball season.  Rotavirus is coming around again.  Thankfully, due to the development of the Rotavirus vaccine, it is not as bad as it used to be when I was a resident (and I’m not that old!).   Rotavirus is just one of a number of viruses that cause vomiting and diarrhea, but it is a particularly bad one. 

If your child is unlucky enough to get the “stomach flu” the most important thing to do is keep them hydrated.  The best way to do that is by giving small, frequent amounts of clear liquids.  The reason for this is to give fluids without expanding the stomach and triggering more vomiting.  Sometimes you have to give as little as a teaspoon of liquid every 5-10 minutes.  Young infants can be offered breast milk or formula in small amounts first, but may need to switch to an electrolyte solution such as pedialyte for 24 hours.  You should not give water to someone who has the stomach flu because they need to replace the electrolytes and sugar they are losing when they throw up or have diarrhea.  Older kids may not like the taste of pedialyte because it is very salty.  It kind of tastes like sweat, I really wouldn’t want to drink it either.  For those kids I would use one of the sports drinks such as Gatorade.  The new “G2″ Gatorade has less sugar than regular Gatorade so it is a nice alternative to pedialyte.  Once your child is ready for solids offer bland foods such as Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast (the non-tailgate BRAT diet).  Other alternatives are plain noodles, crackers, potatoes, and soup broth.  Just like with the liquids, start with small amounts and go slowly.  Young infants should be offered breast milk or formula. 

If your child has the stomach flu watch out for symptoms of dehydration which include:

• crying and not making tears
• dryness to the inside of the mouth and under the tongue
• sunken eyes
• extreme drowsiness
• no urination for 6-8 hours for kids under 1 year of age and 8-10 hours for kids older than 1.

If your child has symptoms of dehydration, bloody diarrhea, bright green or bloody vomiting, severe abdominal pain, or any other concerning symptoms or is still sick after 48 hours, please give your doctor a call.  For more information on the Rotavirus vaccine, check out these websites.

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