Question
What should I do if my child has a vomiting episode?
Answer
Vomiting is a common occurrence in babies, often caused by two reasons: either symptoms of systemic diseases or gastrointestinal diseases, or the anatomical and physiological characteristics of a baby’s gastrointestinal system that make vomiting more likely. Usually, vomiting caused by the latter reason is more common. If the baby vomits without any other abnormalities, there is generally no need to worry. Over time, the vomiting situation will improve and it will not affect the baby’s growth and development. The vomit may appear curd-like, which is the result of milk reacting with stomach acid and is normal; there is no need to worry about it. However, if the baby continuously dry heaves and the vomit is yellow-green or coffee-colored liquid, or if there are symptoms such as fever or vomiting, you should immediately take the baby to the hospital for a check-up. When changing diapers, you should adopt an appropriate position, hold the baby while changing the diaper, keeping the baby’s body in an approximately 45-degree tilted position. After changing the diaper, make sure to burp the baby, hold the baby upright against your shoulder, gently pat the baby’s back to help expel the air that was inhaled along with the milk during feeding. Then, place the baby back in bed, which can help prevent vomiting. After feeding, do not immediately lay the baby on their stomach; instead, let them lie on their side for a while before turning them onto their stomach. Avoid changing diapers too frequently or too closely spaced. Wishing your baby a healthy and happy growth!