Is your child vomiting? Here's how you can tell if you need to panic

When babies and toddlers vomit, there tends to be a lot of commotion and parents become very anxious. But do you always need to panic? Dr. Vered Nir, a senior physician in the Pediatrics Department at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, lists all the reasons for vomiting and when you should be concerned

10/11/2014

Infectious diseases of the digestive track: They are the most common reason for vomiting. Vomiting is caused by viral and bacterial infections. Treatment: Make sure your child drinks and that the vomiting child does not get dehydrated, by also giving salt and sugar solutions. If the child is not cooperating and/or their condition does not improve, contact your doctor for an additional diagnosis and treatment.

Infectious diseases that are not in the digestive track: Infectious diseases such as ear infections or throat infections and other diseases that cause fever and vomiting.

Blockage in the digestive system: Is characterized by many bouts of vomiting and no bowel movements over a lengthy period of time. The child does not have a fever, but is extremely restless or alternative very sleepy. In this case, go to the emergency room for an abdominal ultrasound, due to suspicion of an intestinal blockage or intussusception, which required emergency surgery.

Appendicitis: Typical of children over the age of two and accompanied by much vomiting and sharp pain on the right side of the lower abdomen. If the physician diagnoses appendicitis, the treatment is surgical.

Head traumas: A child may vomit following head trauma. The danger is that bleeding in the blood vessels of the brain will lead to increased intracranial pressure and the child will vomit. A concussion can also lead to vomiting. Both of these conditions require an immediate examination by a physician or visit to the emergency room.

Overeating: Sometimes babies vomit because they have been given too much food, a condition known a reflux, which is expressed through relative weakness of the lower esophageal sphincter, which allows stomach contents to rise up into the esophagus. Babies who suffer from reflux spit up and vomit more than others.

Sensitivity to protein (lactose): Babies who are fed formula based on cow's milk may vomit due to sensitivity to the protein in it. Your physician will recommend switching from a soy-based formula to a special formula with hydrolyzed proteins (such as Nutramigen) .

Warning: Repeated bouts of vomiting accompanied by diarrhea, fever, stomachaches and weight loss require a comprehensive investigation to rule out chronic diseases.