A child's upset stomach can manifest as vague complaints about nausea, full-blown episodes of projectile vomiting or anything in between. No matter how serious or mild, the main goal of any parent faced with a child complaining of an upset stomach is to ease the discomfort and get your child back to normal.
Potential Causes
There are plenty of possible culprits for an upset stomach in a child, but the most common cause is a bout of stomach flu. Other bacterial and viral illnesses can also affect the stomach, and even colds can cause nausea and vomiting after a big fit of coughing. Some kids get a temporary upset stomach as the result of overeating or motion sickness. Food poisoning is another reason for children to complain of stomach problems. Less-common causes include bladder infections and intestinal obstructions, which can be dangerous if left untreated.
Home Remedies
Before you or your child's pediatrician can treat an upset stomach, she needs to determine the exact cause. If nausea is mild, no treatment may be needed, and your child might simply go without a meal or two while resting or engaging in calm, quiet activities until he feels better. A child older than 6 who is vomiting can be treated at home as long as it does not last beyond about 24 hours and there are no signs of dehydration, such as dry lips and mouth, rapid breathing, a racing pulse and decreased urination. Children under 6 years old should see a doctor if the upset stomach and vomiting last more than a few hours.
Warnings
If nausea and vomiting in a child are accompanied by a fever, this could be a sign of another infection that needs to be treated. If your child appears dehydrated, she could require emergency care to replace lost electrolytes. If she exhibits sudden, severe abdominal pain, has stopped having bowel movements or has dark green vomit or blood in her stool, bring her to a hospital immediately. These symptoms could indicate a major complication, such as a bowel obstruction or severe dehydration.
Considerations
Some symptoms that accompany an upset stomach in a child seem dangerous but really aren't. Bloody streaks in your child's vomit are typically harmless as long as they remain small. They are caused by tiny tears in the throat due to the force of vomiting. A child might have an upset stomach that comes and goes over the course of a few days, or might have a fever that rises and falls during the illness. These are not dangerous in most cases. As always, if you have concerns or feel like your child may be more ill than his symptoms reveal, contact your doctor just in case.
