Vomiting and diarrhea are common symptoms associated with many childhood diseases. Though unpleasant for the child, these symptoms are not typically serious, are short lived and are generally controllable by diet. Vomiting will almost always cease if food and drink are withheld for 2-3 hours. Diarrhea will decrease if milk products and solid foods are withheld from the child’s diet for a day or two. Either vomiting or diarrhea by itself rarely leads to dehydration of a child.

When a child vomits, many parents immediately give medicine or sips of fluids to “prevent dehydration”. This usually causes more vomiting and worsens the child’s condition. Please closely follow our suggestions listed on the following links:

Vomiting

Diarrhea