Stomach flu! Food poisoning? Need advice and reassurance...

[Centura]

Please, input, advice and experience from you wise ladies!!

Friday night my "big" girl of 4.5 years started barfing out of the blue, I thought she just gagged on a big bite at first, but after she threw up again, and again, and again... yeah, something was up for sure. I immediately suspected that the rest of us was gonna go down to, so we went to bed with a bucket beside the bed for her, and a bucket for my 3.5 year old, a pile of towels and rags ready for the 16 month old boy and me, yeah, well, I was just waiting for "hell" to break loose... I was alone with them of course! Hubby was hundreds of miles away.

The older girl kept barfing every 20-30 minutes, and after a few hours, the 3 year old power hurled all over her bed. I cleaned her up, put everyone down again and kept waiting. Again, big girl kept going every half hour through the night, but the 3 year old never barfed again!

Little man made it all through the night without puking, but right after his morning bottle, he hurled too. More clean up and cautious mommy giving them small drinks and just nibbles of crackers and toast. The 3 year old still didnt barf any more than the first big time.
Little man barfed again after his first nap, and then nothing more, the 4 year old didnt barf once after she woke up either, she was just sleepy, of course, after being up all night being sick, poor thing!

Anyways, I assume they got either a virus or some germs from something they ate.

What I really really need help and advice with is this...

Today, Monday, the girls still don't want to eat, they will say they are hungry, then take a bite and say they are full. They have -kind- of been drinking ok, the only thing I could get them to drink is apple juice, I know juice is no good when your tummy is upset like this, but what can I do? I just figure any liquid is better than none right now!
I don't think/hope they are badly dehydrated, neither of them has pooped since that night so no diarreah for the girls, they have really strong pee and not as often as usual, but they are not dry mouthed, dry eyed and they act quite normal besides the NO appetite at all. Should I worry`? How many days can they "nibble" like this and still be ok?

The boy only puked those two times, and has had some really nasty diapers, one really liquid and the rest just very... VERY soft/mushy/runny/greenish/whiteish/yellowish. During that day the only thing he wanted was a bit of milk, and some stage 2 formula, after that, he wont eat anything either really, I've only managed to get him to eat 1/3 of a banana, 1 little cup of apple sauce and one "baby food" jar of veggies per day. (When he is not sick he eats "big people food" with us, but I still had some jars from when he still ate purees) Normally he still drinks formula and or milk from a bottle when he takes naps and in the morning, in a day it amounts to about 20 oz from bottles and then water from sippis during the day with meals and when he is thirsty. Now I have only manage to coax him into a maximum and total of about 10-12 oz of fluids per day. Is this sufficient to keep him going until he feels better? Should I worry about that amount?

We have never "knock on WOOD" before had a stomach illness, so despite having three kids and the oldest as old as 4.5 I am a total NEWBIE on this!!!
I feel so helpless, pediatrician just gave the usual "if they act sick take them in, if they dont, just go with the flow" but I would like to know BEFORE they get sicker if I am on the right track or not here

[luv-my-boys]

hugs mama! This was us for the last 2 months, literally I had one sick kid after another and than to top things off I was last (after 2months of horrible sleep) YAY

the key right now is to get everyone hydrated. Dehydration in little kids sneeks up fast. first the first few days after i give the boys pedialyte popsicles as well (many store brands have generic kinds) but I havent seen a kid yet that hasnt taken the popsicle. I also make basically water pops too or buy those big liters of the pedialyte and make my own with my popsicle molds. the next day I try a little bland dry stuff like toast and crackers, not too much starch cause be upsetting. you can also do a little plain rice, no spices or sauce, just plain steamed rice.

[pbjmama]

I think it sounds pretty normal. Keep giving juice - water it down a little if you can. Do you have someone that could run out and get probiotics and something tempting like popsicles or gatorade for you? Those might be tempting and will help hydrate.

[laila2]

sounds like roto virus

or I call it rotor roter virus. Kids have ended up in hospital for this with dehydration. You just have to let the virus run its coarse.

I assume it is not food poisoning since each kids got it at different times.

You are lucky your kids are so old and have not had it yet. It effected my kids differently. My dd had throw-ups every half hour during the night, very terrible bile. My ds had diarhea only, managing to keep down everything.

For food bassically what others have said:

The Brat diet is good, bananas, rice, apple, toast. I add ginger snaps and ginger ale when things are staying down better.

If those do not work, pedialite, gatorade, or smart water (has electrolytes).

Asidolphulus (probiotic) is excellent for the tummy to feel better and put back the good bacteria.

I am not a doctor just a mom

[goldfinches]

Sounds like the stomach flu that's going around everywhere. We had it the end of the year. All four of us. We threw up for anywhere from 3 hours to 6, and then didn't feel like eating for probably, 5 days after that. Pedialyte pops were a hit with my daughters. My husband really liked pedialyte mixed with ginger ale. And, I think we ate pretty bland stuff for quite a while.

sorry, it's no fun.

[Bug-a-Boo's Mama]

The week of Christmas my son started vomiting, we did have to make the ER trip to the Children's Hospital because of dehydration. It was at least a week before he ate with any regularity. During that week he would eat breakfast really late, sometimes a late lunch and then usually no dinner. And he ate no where near the amount he would usually eat. I was amazed that he was non-stop going with eating almost nothing, but he was.

Hydration is your first concern, as long as they are peeing, that is good. Food is next. I would offer something other than just toast or crackers...still nothing to upset the stomach. Of course, the first thing DS wanted and would eat a couple of days after the vomiting was mac and cheese. I really didn't want to give it to him, but did and was prepared for vomit.

[momofsage]

Nothing to add to these already helpful replies, just want to say I'm so very sorry for you--what a difficult ordeal. I am also SO glad that YOU did not get it!

It doesn't sound like you are nursing but of course if that were the case that would also be something to offer any of them who was still interested.

It sounds like you are on the mend. Good luck and take care.

[Centura]

Thank you all for your replies, from what your all saying, my kids are experiencing perfectly normal events
They have been on and off about drinking and eating, one minute actually displaying a really good appetite, and then just ... nothing...
TMI warning below...

Baby boy made me so happy this morning, when he displayed a completely normal, solid, brown diaper, I felt really good and sighed with relief. Then right during dinner... he sits in his highchair, eating, and it is not unusual for him to "unload" when he eats, its like "something goes in, somethings gotta come out". He leans forward, as usual, I can tell he is done and get up to change him so he can finish his dinner. And OMGOMG its just ROLLING out the back of his pants, in the chair, up his back.... I have never seen anything like it! Thank GOD hubby was home this time, so we in a team effort could get him undressed, out of the chair and in to the shower without having to destroy the whole house... Baby boy was just happy and tickled about the extra shower opportunity, he didnt seem to care one bit... Uggghhh.... I guess they are not completely over this yet