When kids vomit (throw up), it is often caused by a virus (a type of germ) and lasts only a day or two. Giving your child an oral electrolyte solution (such as Pedialyte®, Enfalyte®, or a store brand) as recommended by your health care provider, will help you make sure your child doesn't get dehydrated (not have enough water in the body). You can buy the oral electrolyte solution at drugstores or supermarkets without a prescription.

Here's how to care for your child.

Giving Liquids

• Give your child small amounts of the oral electrolyte solution every 5 minutes. Try having them sip from a cup or a straw. Or you can use an oral syringe, a medicine cup, or a kitchen teaspoon.
  • Start with 5–10 mL (1–2 teaspoons) at a time.
  • After 1 hour, if your child is doing well, give 15–20 mL (3–4 teaspoons) at a time.
  • Continue to give this amount every 5 minutes for the next hour or two until your child is peeing as usual.
  • If your child vomits again, start over with 5–10 mL of oral electrolyte solution every 5–10 minutes.
• You also can give frozen electrolyte pops (brand names include Pedialyte®; many stores have a store brand), shaved ice, and flavored gelatin.
• If your child hasn't vomited for a few hours, continue to add other liquids like broth, diluted fruit juices, and water. You can also give milk, unless it makes the vomiting worse.
• Don't give your child sports drinks or full-strength fruit juices (which have a lot of sugar). You may add a splash of clear fruit juice (such as apple or white grape juice) to electrolyte solutions or water for flavor.

Starting Food

• If your child hasn't vomited in 8 hours, offer small amounts of plain foods, such as toast, crackers, rice, or mashed potatoes. Yogurt, fruits, vegetables, and plain cooked chicken are also OK.
• After your child has gone 24 hours without vomiting, you can go back to offering a regular healthy diet.

Medicines

• Don't give your child medicines for nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting, unless your health care provider prescribes them.
• If your child has a fever and your health care provider says it's OK, you can give acetaminophen (such as Tylenol® or a store brand) or ibuprofen (such as Advil®, Motrin®, or a store brand).
• Don't give aspirin to your child or teen because it's linked to a rare but serious illness called Reye syndrome.

Your child:

• Continues to vomit for more than 24 hours
• Has been on the oral electrolyte solution for 24 hours and is still not taking other liquids 
• Is still not eating solid foods 3–4 days after the visit
• Gets new or worsening symptoms, such as fever or diarrhea
• Has belly pain

Your child:

• Isn't drinking at all or has signs of dehydration, such as a dry or sticky mouth, sunken eyes, extreme thirst, less pee than usual, darker pee than usual, little or no tears when crying, or decreased alertness
• Is vomiting repeatedly or has vomit that's bright green, red, or brown

You know your child best. If your child has symptoms that worry you or seems very sick, call your health care provider or take your child to the ER.

How can we prevent viruses that cause vomiting from spreading? To help prevent the spread of viruses and other germs, teach all family members to wash their hands well and often. They should wash for at least 20 seconds with soap and water. Clean tabletops, doorknobs, and other hard surfaces with a cleanser that kills viruses. Keep your child out of childcare, school, and activities until 24 hours have passed with no vomiting.

How do oral electrolyte solutions help keep a child hydrated? These solutions contain a balanced mix of water, electrolytes (sodium, chloride, and potassium), and sugars (glucose). They replace the liquids and electrolytes that a child loses through diarrhea or vomiting. The solutions help prevent or treat dehydration and keep the body's electrolytes balanced.

Why does vomiting happen in kids? Vomiting in kids is often caused by a virus. The viral infection may also cause diarrhea and fever. Vomiting also can happen from food allergies, food poisoning, certain medicines, gastroesophageal reflux (when liquids from the stomach flow backward up into the mouth), or, very rarely, a blockage in the intestines.

Does my child need an antibiotic? Since viruses are the usual cause of vomiting in kids, an antibiotic won't help your child. Antibiotics treat infections caused by bacteria, not viruses.