Vomiting

When you vomit, your stomach contents come out through your mouth through the oesophagus. There can be several reasons for this, including:

• Abdominal flu.
• Concussion.
• Balance disorders.
• Stress.
• Changes in hormones in early pregnancy.
• Migraine.
• Sunstroke.

There are a number of things you can do yourself if you or your child is vomiting, such as:

• Wait calmly if you have only vomited 1 or 2 times. It’s important to allow your stomach to settle and wait a while before eating and drinking.
• Drink a sip of water every 5 to 10 minutes and drink slowly. You are at risk of becoming dehydrated if you vomit multiple times. That’s because you’re losing a lot of fluids. We recommend taking in more fluids once you can retain this more effectively again. Ultimately you should be drinking about 1.5 to 2 litres of water a day.
• Eat something light which your stomach can tolerate. Don’t worry if you can’t tolerate anything, but make sure you do try to eat small amounts.
• You can take ORS if you’re vomiting frequently. This will not stop the vomiting, but it will prevent you from becoming dehydrated. Start slowly and take a sip every 5 to 10 minutes if you’re still vomiting. ORS powder is available from your pharmacy or chemist and can be dissolved in water.
• Children can experience vomiting as scary and very unpleasant. Reassure your child and stay nearby if they’re vomiting.

Call your GP right away if:

• There’s blood in your vomit.
• You’re confused or drowsy.
• You’re at risk of fainting or you have fainted.
• You can no longer urinate and this has been going on for a day or more.
• You have severe abdominal pain.
• You vomit after a fall.

You should call your GP immediately if your child is under two years old and:

• Has severe abdominal pain.
• Behaves differently than you are used to and is very drowsy.
• Has fallen and is vomiting.
• Doesn’t or hardly drinks.
• Can’t urinate and this lasts for more than half a day.
• Vomits, has diarrhoea and a fever.