How should I handle a vomiting child (hydration, diet, medicines)?
Applies to age: 0–36 months
In short
Give a vomiting child plenty of fluids, for example water, and feed a baby breast milk or a bottle in small portions, more often than usual. If the vomiting is persistent, especially with blood, call an ambulance on 999 (the ambulance number in Poland) or 112 (the emergency number in Poland).
What is normal
All claims: international norm
- It is worth drinking plenty of fluids, for example water; when feeling sick, drink in small sips.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
drink lots of fluids, such as water or squash – take small sips if you feel sick
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-15 · license [1]
- It is worth continuing to breastfeed or bottle-feed a vomiting baby, giving small portions more often than usual.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
carry on breast or bottle feeding your baby – if they're being sick, try giving small feeds more often than usual
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-15 · license [1]
- Babies fed formula or solid foods may be given small sips of water between feeds.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
give babies on formula or solid foods small sips of water between feeds
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-15 · license [1]
- Formula should not be diluted; it is given at its usual strength.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
do not make baby formula weaker – use it at its usual strength
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-15 · license [1]
- The child can eat when they feel able to; it may help to avoid fatty and spicy foods.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
eat when you feel able to – it may help to avoid foods that are fatty or spicy
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-15 · license [1]
- Vomiting usually stops within 1–2 days.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
vomiting usually stops in 1 or 2 days
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-15 · license [1]
ER / 112 (Poland)
Some claims: international norm
Immediate medical help needed: international norm
- Vomiting blood or vomit that looks like ground coffee needs immediate medical help.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
vomit blood or have vomit that looks like ground coffee
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-15 · license [1]
- Yellow-green or green vomit in a child needs immediate medical help.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
have yellow-green or green vomit (children)
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-15 · license [1]
- Possibly swallowing something poisonous needs immediate medical help.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
may have swallowed something poisonous
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-15 · license [1]
- A sudden, severe tummy ache needs immediate medical help.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
have a sudden, severe tummy ache
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-15 · license [1]
- A child who is confused or responding differently than usual needs immediate medical help.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
are confused or not responding as usual
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-15 · license [1]
- Call an ambulance on 999 (the ambulance number in Poland) or 112 (the emergency number in Poland) if the vomiting is persistent, especially with some blood.
Source: Portal Pacjenta – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
uporczywe wymioty zwłaszcza z domieszką krwi
Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-15 · license [2]
- Call an ambulance on 999 or 112 if the child loses consciousness.
Source: Portal Pacjenta – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
utrata przytomności
Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-15 · license [2]
- Call an ambulance on 999 or 112 if the child has seizures.
Source: Portal Pacjenta – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
drgawki
Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-15 · license [2]
- Call an ambulance on 999 or 112 if the child has severe shortness of breath.
Source: Portal Pacjenta – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
nasilona duszność
Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-15 · license [2]
See a doctor
Some claims: international norm
Urgent medical assessment needed: international norm
- Concern about a baby under 12 months old who is vomiting needs an urgent medical assessment.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
you're worried about a baby under 12 months
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-15 · license [1]
- A child who stops breast or bottle feeding during an illness needs an urgent medical assessment.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
your child stops breast or bottle feeding while they're ill
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-15 · license [1]
- Signs of dehydration in a child under 5, for example fewer wet diapers, need an urgent medical assessment.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
a child under 5 years has signs of dehydration, such as fewer wet nappies
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-15 · license [1]
- Continuous vomiting, in which the child cannot keep fluids down, needs an urgent medical assessment.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
you or your child keep being sick and cannot keep fluid down
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-15 · license [1]
- Outside the opening hours of the primary care (POZ) clinic, medical help is provided by night and holiday care (NiŚOZ).
Source: NFZ i Akademia NFZ – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
Nocna i świąteczna opieka zdrowotna to pomoc lekarska po godzinach pracy przychodni POZ.
NFZ i Akademia NFZ · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-15 · license [3]
- Go to night and holiday care (NiŚOZ) when vomiting or diarrhea appears, especially in children and seniors.
Source: NFZ i Akademia NFZ – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
pojawią się wymioty lub biegunka (szczególnie u dzieci i seniorów).
NFZ i Akademia NFZ · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-15 · license [3]
international norm “International norm” next to a section heading means its claims come from a non-Polish source, because no Polish source in our registry covers this topic. When this applies to only some of the claims, the foreign ones carry the same label next to their source.
Sources
- NHS (nhs.uk, Anglia)License: Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: NHS (nhs.uk, Anglia). Content summarized and translated by the editors; changed relative to the original. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. The summary is ours and is not attributed to the NHS.
- Portal Pacjenta (pacjent.gov.pl)License: CC BY 3.0 PL. Source: Portal Pacjenta (pacjent.gov.pl). Content summarized and translated by the editors; changed relative to the original.
- NFZ i Akademia NFZLicense: Treści NFZ – wykorzystanie ze wskazaniem źródła, bez obrotu komercyjnego. Source: NFZ i Akademia NFZ. Content summarized and translated by the editors; changed relative to the original.