Question
I have a child who is three years old according to the Chinese lunar calendar. They have always been reluctant to eat staple foods. Every time I try to get them to eat more rice, I have to resort to persuasion and deception, but the results are still not great. Whenever they manage to eat a few more bites, the last bite often causes them to feel nausea and they end up vomiting everything they’ve eaten. It’s all for nothing. After vomiting, they don’t cry or fuss and continue playing as usual. Family members are always worried that if they don’t eat more staple foods, their nutrition will be poor. They also wonder if there’s something wrong with their child’s stomach?
Answer
Vomiting in children is generally due to gastrointestinal issues, although other factors can also be responsible. The most common cause is acute gastroenteritis, which can result from an improper diet, consuming undigestible foods, or eating spicy or stimulating food. It can also be an early symptom of gastrointestinal flu, typically resolving within one to two days without accompanying diarrhea. In some cases, vomiting may be caused by neurological conditions such as encephalitis, hemorrhage, or tumors, which often result in projectile vomiting due to increased intracranial pressure.