How to Treat Children's Nausea

All parents dread hearing their children utter the words "I think I'm going to throw up." A nauseated child is unhappy and uncomfortable, and it's up to you to help them. There are a variety of ways to treat children's nausea, including some preventive measures. Read on to learn how to treat children's nausea.

Things You'll Need

• Re-hydration solution (optional)
• Clear liquids
• Peppermint candy, gum or tea

Instructions

Prevent Vomiting

1. Listen to your child when he indicates he's not feeling well. Children often give little warning before they vomit, but they do tend to let you know that they are feeling "funny" in some way. Many seasoned parents have found themselves cleaning up both a sick child and the living room because they failed to heed the warning their children provided.

2. Treat nausea before it becomes full-fledged vomiting. Have your child rest quietly, sitting or reclining in a chair, since high levels of activity can exacerbate nausea. While she is resting, offer her a clear, sweet drink or a frozen ice pop to settle her stomach. Avoid acidic fruit drinks as they can worsen an upset stomach.

3. Situate a child prone to motion sickness carefully in the car. He should be facing forward and able to see out the front window, as the fast, blurred peripheral view from the side windows causes carsickness.

4. Treat high fevers and barking coughs with an over-the-counter medication suitable for your child (as indicated by a pediatrician). High fever can cause queasiness in children, and a uncontrolled cough can often trigger a child's gag reflex.

Treat Nausea

1. Rehydrate children who have been vomiting with small amounts of clear liquid. After a bout of vomiting, wait an hour and then give them approximately 1 fl oz. of liquid every 20 minutes. If after an hour or so this amount is tolerated, increase to approximately 8 fl oz. Liquids to offer include apple juice, tea, broth, gelatin and weak grape juice.

2. Provide a re-hydration solution to a child who has been vomiting for 24 hours or longer. Children become dehydrated very quickly, and re-hydration solutions can help replace lost fluids, as well as balance children's potassium and sodium levels.

3. Allow your child to chew peppermint gum, sip peppermint tea or suck on a peppermint candy. Mint is a natural remedy for nausea. It helps soothe the stomach muscles and lessen the spasms that accompany nausea and vomiting.

4. Start children on solid foods slowly. Until a child has been nausea and vomiting free for a day or two, he should stick to a bland diet. Clear soups, toast, crackers, rice and other mild foods are easier on the stomach.

Tips & Warnings

• Call your pediatrician immediately if nausea is accompanied by a stiff neck, high fever, or if a child is groggy and unresponsive or seems to be vomiting blood.