10 Signs Your Child is About to Throw Up

I’m pretty sure we all know the look of a child that’s getting ready to throw up, but what we may not know are some reasons that are the cause of the actual ‘event’.  Be warned: if your child suffers from any of the things listed below then you might be cleaning up vomit in the near future.  Check out 10 signs your child is about to throw up.

1. Carsick: Not all children get carsick, but unfortunately some do.  The good thing is that some kids will eventually grow out of getting carsick…  I, however, wasn’t that lucky, but some people are.  If your child is moaning about an upset stomach while you are in the car this might be an indication of carsickness.  And while carsickness does not always lead to vomiting, it often does.  You can help your child by opening a window, telling them to look out the front windshield and not the side windows, and putting something cool on their forehead if you have anything with you.  Otherwise you might want to pull the car over.
2. Indigestion: Sometimes vomiting can be caused by food not agreeing with you.  With kids it often happens when they try a new food or spicy food that they aren’t used to.  Giving them 7Up and some crackers may help them and these things can often be found right at the restaurant.  Otherwise you might need an extra doggie bag for the car ride home.
3. Over eating: Many times kids will eat too much cake and candy at a birthday party and when that’s combined with all of the games and running around that they do you have a recipe for disaster.  Keeping an eye on what your child is eating at a party isn’t always easy, especially if you aren’t there.  Just let your child know when you drop them off to not eat too much junk food because it may make them sick.
4. Amusement park ride: These are the worst.  Kids eat junk food at the amusement park and then go on these crazy rides that shake them all up and then they wonder why they got sick all over the people in front of them.  Not a nice picture I know, but let your kids know that they need to wait at least 30 minutes after eating before riding any crazy rides.
5. Crying: I’m not talking about just any crying here, this is the crying where there is wailing involved.  The kind where your child is so upset that they are sobbing and gasping for air.  They get themselves all worked up and sometimes this will cause them to throw up.  Unfortunately there’s not really any way to avoid this because it’s not something you can plan ahead for.
6. Coughing: This is probably the most common reason for a child to throw up besides the flu.  There’s something about kids when they cough where they can’t control their coughing.  The coughing gets worse and worse and it will often cause them to throw up.  Helping your child stop coughing before it gets to that point is the only preventative measure.  Try to get them to drink some water or pound them on the back.
7. Illness: Everyone knows that kids throw up sometimes when they are sick.  It’s not all that much of a surprise, but to keep a child from throwing up again it’s a good idea to feed them only small amounts of food after the first time they throw up.  The best things to feed them are bananas, rice, applesauce, and dry toast.  If they keep a little food down for a while then give them a little more until you can be sure that they are going to keep it down.  Keep them on the BRAT diet for a day or two after the initial vomiting to avoid a setback.
8. Ear infection: Sometimes ear infections can cause a child to throw up.  They lose their balance and get really dizzy with an ear infection and sometimes that dizzy feeling will cause them to vomit.  Just keep this in mind and have a bucket handy.
9. Brushing teeth: When children are new to brushing their teeth or when they start brushing their tongue, they can inadvertently trigger their gag reflex and cause themselves to throw up.  Hopefully they are standing there right in front of the sink and they won’t make too big of a mess.  Just help them to realize that they can’t brush that far back.
10. Nerves: If your child is performing in front of an audience for the first time they may have butterflies in their stomach and end up throwing up.  This can also happen before a big game in sports as well.  Keep an eye on your child and help them take some deep breaths to calm themselves.

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