Coping with children’s sickness bugs
Written by Claire Burgess, Family Consultant
This is something which parents and carers dread! Dealing with sickness and/or diarrhoea is never something which we enjoy, but it is something which can come part and parcel with little ones.
Sickness and diarrhoea is common in children and adults. It can often be triggered due to a stomach bug, and sickness can normally last between 24-48 hours. The symptoms of diarrhoea can sometimes last for 5-7 days.
Important note: Please refer to this NHS page to see when you need to seek medical advice https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/diarrhoea-and-vomiting/ . You should also always speak to a GP or pharmacist if there are any signs of dehydration (dark, smelly wee or weeing less than usual, dry mouth, fewer tears than normal), if your child is not improving or if you are at all concerned.
Hints and tips for when your child has a sickness bug:
Be prepared – have a bowl under the sink (that infamous ‘sick bowl’) so that when it is needed you know where to find it (and quickly!).
Have towels to hand and depending where they are, lay towels on the sofa or bed and on the the floor in case they aren’t able to make it to the bathroom – often they don’t really understand what is happening to them and what they need to do.
At night have a few changes of bed sheets and night clothes out and ready to use if needed. The last thing you want to be doing is hunting for things in the dark when your little one is feeling poorly and needs lots of cuddles.
Some children can vomit, feel better straight away and be up and playing, however it is important to keep monitoring and avoid them mixing with other children or adults until they haven’t had any sickness or diarrhoea for 48 hours.
Hygiene at this time is really important so that you don’t pass the sickness bug on to other members of the household. Some practical things you can do:
Have a good handwashing routine (with soap and warm water) for both you and your little one.
Wash clothes, bedding, towels etc with vomit or diarrhoea on them separately to other things and on a hot wash (at least 60 degrees).
Clean surfaces such as door handles, bathrooms etc each day (this might also need to include toys).
Don’t share towels etc.
Encourage fluids with your little one, and ideally get them to drink water, as this is the most hydrating (avoid fizzy drinks and fruit juice as this can make diarrhoea worse). Encourage small sips rather than large amounts if they are feeling or being sick.
Continue to bottle or breast feed your baby. If they are being sick then offer little and often to help the milk stay down.
It is important to note that you shouldn’t make a baby’s formula any weaker (i.e. adding more water than advised for the number of scoops). You must continue to make the formula correctly as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
Offer food as and when your little one might feel like it. Look to offer foods which they ‘fancy’, remembering that this might change when you put it in front of them. Appetite can change very quickly when we are feeling unwell.
You may have seen the BRAT diet being spoken about in relation to diarrhoea. This is Bananas, Rice, Apple and Toast. These are whole grain, high fibre foods and because they are also bland, they are unlikely to aggravate the digestive system. They are also binding foods which help to encourage the digestive system and bowel to firm up poo.
After the illness:
Consider how your child might be feeling after a bout of sickness or diarrhoea. It can make them nervous to eat or drink if they are worried that it might make them feel poorly again. Always think about the food that they had when they were sick as this can sometimes be a food that they don’t want to eat again for a while.
When they are feeling better, encourage getting them back on track with their mealtimes and where possible getting those nutrients back into the body as this will help them with feeling better.
You may find that for a couple of days or a week after being unwell your child is more tired or lacking in their normal energy, so it is important to give them the opportunity to rest and repair….however there are also the children who bounce back very quickly and you would have no idea that they were poorly!! Each child, and time that they are unwell, will be different.
· When a little one is unwell it can often affect their sleep. It is important to give them all the love and attention they need through this time. This might mean that naps are more frequent, longer or actually come back after having previously dropped them. Sleep is restorative and can help your little one get better more quickly. The important part is to notice when your little one is on the mend and start to get back into a normal routine with sleep and mealtimes. This will help to get their body clock back in sync and things back to normal for them.
Avoid taking your little one to a swimming pool for 2 weeks after they have had sickness or diarrhoea.
It really is horrible when our little ones have sickness and diarrhoea, sometimes we are up all night cleaning up and making sure they are OK, but, if we can draw a positive from the whole situation, it is also a time when they really need our time and attention for cuddles and love and (apart from the obvious cleaning up!) not much else. As mentioned at the start of this blog, if you are ever worried about your little one then you must seek medical advice straightaway.
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