8 Unusual Causes of Vomiting in Babies

Vomiting in babies can be a source of concern to parents, particularly when it is recurrent. Babies often throw up, particularly in their first year, as they are just developing eating patterns and being introduced to things that are somewhat novel to them. Food, which is one of the known causes of vomiting in infants, is not the only reason your baby may puke. A lengthened bout of crying or/and coughing can spark off vomiting.There are therefore a number of reasons why your baby throws up, which is not necessarily due to the food they eat and they include;

1)Stomach Flu

 This is one of the notable causes of vomiting in babies. When a baby has a stomach flu, it triggers him or her to vomit.Stomach flu can occur due to contaminated food and water, or even by touching a contaminated surface.

2)Cold

 Babies easily get cold due to their tender, developing immune systems and this can spark a cough leading to vomit. Vomiting, running nose and nasal congestion are strong indicators of cold in your babies.

3)Allergies

 When your baby is allergic to a particular food taken, it can cause a vomit. For example, there are babies that are allergic to milk and other dairy products, in which the immune system of the child reacts to the protein(s) that make up the milk. In such case, it is advisable to see your pediatrician and also discontinue foods that cause allergies to them.

4)Acid Reflux

Acid Reflux is also known as Gastroesophageal Reflux (GER), it is a condition that  occurs in babies in which contents of the stomach goes back into the baby’s food pipe. Symptoms of acid reflux include; irritability, vomiting, slow weight gain, frequent crying and sleep disorders. Most babies outgrow reflux by age one (1).

Treatment for acid reflux include; Lift the head of the baby’s crib or bed; Hold your baby upright for close to 30 minutes after feeding; Feed your baby with smaller amounts of food most of the time; Gradually introduce solid food, of course with a doctor’s approval.

5)Poison

 Food poisoning can cause a child to vomit. As soon as you observe that your child has food poisoning, rush him/her to the Accident & Emergency (A & E) unit of the hospital. Symptoms of food poisoning are; vomiting or diarrhea, cramping and nausea.

6)Infection

 Vomiting in babies can be a sign of an infection. It could be pneumonia, meningitis, middle ear infection. Symptoms of an infection in a baby may include; irritability, feeding disorder, sleeping excessively, quick breathing, moodiness and a general change in behaviour. So, it is important to see your doctor immediately as soon as you notice unusual changes in your baby.

7)Accidentally Swallowing a Harmful Substance

 Babies love to play around and in the process, put things into their mouths. When a baby swallows a harmful substance, he or she disgorges in the process of bringing it out.

8)Feeding

 When a baby experiences difficulty in feeding, particularly at the initial stage of learning to feed, stomach upset may come in, resulting in them vomiting. Foods can therefore trigger vomiting in an infant.

Remedies

There are steps to take to stop the vomiting in your baby. These steps include;

• Keep your baby away from foods and drinks for about 30 minutes to an hour after vomiting, thereby giving your baby an opportunity to recover.
• It could just be a fever. So, see your doctor for drugs’ prescription.
• Your baby may be dehydrated. So, slowly increase the amount of liquids you give your baby.
• Remodel your child’s diet. Keep your child off solid foods and then visit your pediatrician.