Know if your baby is regurgitating milk or about to vomit

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Baby spitting up milk or spitting up is sometimes quite a normal occurrence in babies. However, if the frequency is high, it may be related to certain diseases. This article will present detailed information about this condition of children.

1. Causes of vomiting in infants

Although there are many other reasons why a baby might vomit, the most likely cause is a virus. This can make the baby feel uncomfortable and can even make them cry. For babies with this condition, it's not entirely serious to stop breastfeeding.
If your baby spits up, you'll want to find out what's causing it, so you can confirm that he's okay and help him feel more comfortable. Common causes of vomiting in infants include:
1.1. Feeding problems During your baby's first few months, spitting up or an infant spitting up milk can be related to feeding problems, such as a mother overfeeding her baby. Less common causes are allergies to proteins in breast milk or formula.
1.2. Viral or bacterial infections Congestion or infection of the airways can lead to vomiting, especially during a cough. And mucus from a cold can run down the back of your child's throat and trigger the vomiting reflex or upset the stomach. Stomach flu (a viral gastrointestinal infection) is another common cause of vomiting. If a viral or bacterial infection affects the lining of your baby's stomach or intestines, other symptoms may include diarrhea, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, and fever. Your baby will probably stop spitting up after 12 to 24 hours. Urinary tract infections, pneumonia, meningitis, and even ear infections can also cause nausea and vomiting. 1.3. Vitamins and medications Some vitamins and certain medications (such as some antibiotics, antivirals, and anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen) can cause your child to vomit. If your baby is on solid foods and if the medicine can be taken with food, try giving it to your baby with a main meal or snack. If your baby isn't eating solid foods yet, try offering them as soon as you breastfeed or bottle-feed them. If that doesn't help, talk to your doctor to see if an alternative is available.
1.4. Crying too much When crying for a long time can trigger the vomiting reflex and cause the baby to spit up. While it's troublesome, squealing while crying won't harm your baby. If the child seems healthy, there is no cause for concern.

1.5. Motion sickness Some babies are prone to motion sickness, which can be a problem if your daily routine includes car travel. Experts believe that motion sickness occurs when there's a discrepancy between what your baby sees and what he or she feels with motion-sensitive parts of the body, such as the inner ear and some cords. nerve.
1.6. Food Allergies Nausea and vomiting are among the symptoms your child may experience if he or she eats a food to which he or she is allergic. The most common allergens are cow's milk, eggs, fish, peanuts, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.
1.7. Concussion In most cases, when a baby falls and hits his head, there's nothing to worry about. But if your baby vomits more than once after a fall or a blow to the head, he may have a concussion. Other symptoms are drowsiness, dizziness, irritability, and confusion.

1.8. Toxins Your baby may vomit if he swallows something toxic, such as drugs, drugs, or chemicals. Or the baby may have had food poisoning from contaminated food or water.
1.9. Intestinal Obstruction Sudden and persistent vomiting may be a symptom of some of the rarer conditions associated with bowel obstruction, such as intussusception, dysmotility (volvulus), or Hirschsprung's disease (obstruction caused by muscle movement). poor in the intestine).
Because blockages can lead to malnutrition, dehydration, and other health problems, they often require immediate medical attention and may require surgery.

1.10. Pyloric stenosis This rare condition usually develops during the first few weeks of life and causes intense vomiting. Children with pyloric stenosis vomit because the muscle leading from the stomach to the intestines thickens, making it impossible for stomach contents to pass through. This condition can lead to malnutrition, dehydration and other health problems. , need immediate medical attention. If you think your child may have this condition, contact your doctor as soon as possible. Pyloric stenosis can be corrected surgically.

2. Signs of vomiting milk or vomiting in children

It can be difficult to tell the difference, because vomiting and regurgitation (gastroesophageal reflux) are similar and both often occur after feeding, but there are a few points that can help us understand These two phenomena are more obvious:
Milk: When a baby spits up milk, it comes out easily, with little or no force. Food in the stomach can come up in the throat or the baby can swallow air while feeding. When that air comes back as a burp, some liquid can go with it. This is normal in newborns and is usually nothing to worry about. Vomiting: When the baby pushes hard, the stomach contents will shoot out forcefully, making the mother uncomfortable. The amount of vomit may be more than when the baby spits up milk. In addition, the child may also have other symptoms, such as fever or fussiness.

3. What can I do to help when my child spits up?

In most cases, your baby will stop vomiting without treatment, but here are some things you can do to help your baby feel better:
When your baby is awake, lay him on his or her stomach or stomach. lie on the side. Prevent dehydration by regularly providing fluids

4. How can I keep my child from becoming dehydrated after vomiting?

The approach to keeping your baby hydrated depends on how much and how often your baby spits up. Dehydration can be a serious problem for babies because vomiting causes them to lose precious fluids.
Call your baby's doctor for advice on the best way to rehydrate your baby. If your child is vomiting a lot, your doctor may recommend an over-the-counter children's electrolyte solution to replace lost fluids, salts, and minerals. Your doctor can recommend a specific solution and advise how much to give your child based on his or her weight and age.

5. Should I give my baby medicine for vomiting?

No. Do not give your baby any prescription or over-the-counter anti-nausea medicines unless recommended by your doctor.
Many parents worry that a child who is spitting up might choke if he sleeps on his back. But this is extremely unlikely if:
Baby often sleeps on his back The baby shows no signs of making it difficult for him to open and clear the airway. Research shows that healthy babies can safely sleep on their backs, even when they're vomiting. Because babies' bodies have reflexes (turning head, coughing, and swallowing) to prevent fluid from entering the airways.
Furthermore, it may actually be easier for your baby to keep his airways clear of fluids when he sleeps on his back because of the way the windpipe (windpipe) and esophagus (the tube from the throat to the stomach) are positioned in the body.
Many studies on sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) do not show evidence that babies who sleep on their backs are more likely to choke from vomiting than babies who sleep on their stomachs.
But in infants with certain medical conditions, it is possible to choke on regurgitation because the baby does not have a clear airway while sleeping. If your baby has a birth defect that can cause food and fluid to enter the windpipe (such as a cleft lip or larynx), your doctor may ask you to put your baby on his or her stomach or side to sleep. . suffocation.

6. Some measures to improve regurgitation or vomiting in children

You can't always keep your baby from getting sick from illnesses that cause vomiting, but here are some helpful measures:
If your baby spits up milk after a feed, offer small amounts. and burp your baby more often. Keeping children upright for about half an hour after eating is also helpful. To minimize motion sickness, schedule multiple stops along the way to give your baby a chance to get some fresh air and ease colic. If she's on a diet, give her a snack before the trip and provide plenty of water to keep her hydrated. If your baby has a lot of phlegm and mucus due to a respiratory infection, try using a bulb syringe to clear your baby's nose. Your child probably won't like it, but it doesn't hurt and can give you some relief.

7. After vomiting, when can babies eat solid foods again?

Your baby's doctor may recommend that you stop your baby from eating solid foods for a certain period of time after any condition that causes vomiting in your baby. Then, if your baby's vomiting eases or stops, or his appetite returns, you can slowly return him to his usual diet of solids, including complex carbohydrates ( like cereals and rice), lean meats, yogurt, fruits and vegetables. But avoid eating fatty foods because they are harder to digest.
Note: This is different from the BRAT diet (banana, rice, apple sauce and toast) that your doctor prescribed. Studies show that following a standard diet can shorten recovery time because it restores the essential nutrients the body needs to fight infection.
If vomiting persists for no apparent reason, you should take your baby to a pediatrician for examination and early treatment advice.

In Vietnam, 7 out of 10 children under 5 years old are zinc deficient and 8 in 10 pregnant mothers are zinc deficient. The prevalence of zinc deficiency in pregnant women is 80.3%, women of childbearing age 63.6% and children under 5 years old is 69.4%. The most common manifestations of zinc deficiency in children are growth retardation, mild and moderate malnutrition, delayed growth in height, and some observable symptoms such as anorexia or decreased appetite, decreased suckling, and no meat. fish, slow digestion, mild constipation, persistent nausea and vomiting in children. In addition to reasonable zinc supplementation, parents also need to provide their children with other important vitamins and minerals such as lysine, chromium, B vitamins,... resistance to minor illnesses and less digestive problems.
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Reference source: babycenter.com