3 Yr Old Son Vomits Frequently

It sounds like he's doing it for attention. My niece used to do this as well. What worked for her parents was to give her a spoonful of sugar water and told her it was medicine to stop her from throwing up. It worked like a charm!

I hope this helped.

I work in behavure health with adults. It is his way of having a temper tantrum . I would say talk to his doc. about his behavure. I have a 3 year old girl that has Gerd and when she was smaller she vomited when she cried too, so it could be that too.

Another look at the medical issue is celiac disease. That is a gluten intolerance. I noticed another responder suggested ruling out medical issues to know if it behavioral or not. My son had horrible GERD as an infant and while he does not do what your son is doing with the self-gagging, he was diagnosed with celiac when he was 3 years old. There are many symptoms that can be present with Celiac and each person shows it differently. Maybe you can research Celiac's online and see if any other symptoms fit your son. Just another thought to throw out there for you.

is he physically doing this by sticking his finger down his throat, etc. or is he getting upset/crying to the point that he gags? If he is doing it because he has figured out that this works on you... he's litterally making himself, then there needs to be some sort of discipline for doing it. If he's getting upset and gagging, I think you need to take him to a Dr. and have him checked. Some people have problems with their "flapper" that allows things to come up whenever the muscles are stressed. My daughter has a hiated hernia/acid reflux which causes a lot of upset stomachs, gagging, etc.

MY SECOND DAUGHTER DID THAT AT THE AGE OF 2. THIS MAY SOUND HARSH BUT THE MINUTE THEY START THIS JUST WALK AWAY. DONT GIVE THEM THAT ATTENTION. THEY DO GROW OUT OF IT. IF THERE IS A SITUATION THAT YOU KNOW WILL CAUSE HIM TO THROW A FIT. AVOID THE SITUATION BY CHANGING THE SUBJECT OR GIVING THEM A CHOICE. MAKE IT YOUR CHOICES TELL THEM EXSAMPLE THIS OR THAT? YOU CHOOSE. BE A BIG GIRL OR BOY. IT WORKED FOR ME.... MY OLDER DAUGHTER IS THE SKINNY ONE FROM THE TWO. KEEP FEEDING THEM AND DONT FORGET THE VITAMINS. MY VITAMIN I HAVE FOR MY GIRLS IS A PRESCRIPTION FROM THE DR. POLYVITAMINS W/FLUORIDE.

Hi B.,

I just wanted to pop in and mention a few things about GERD (GASTRO-ESOPHAGEAL REFLUX). wHEN MY DAUGHTER WAS BORN, SHE WAS A CHRONICH PUKER. I work for the wic program and have done so, for about 12 1/2 years. Reflux in infants is fairly common and it usually clears up on its own. She was blessed by 10 months to refuse all baby food and was on complete table food, therefor eliminating the puke reflex......so I thought.

When she turned 12 months old, she started self induced vominting (putting her fingers down her throat, triggering the gag reflex and then puke) If the gag reflex is strong enough, you really don't have to work at puking. It just happens because this is something your body has learned to do.
I took her to one of her pediatricians and he decided, though she was small for her age, there was no medical problem (not loosing weight) SHE WAS JUST REACHING OUT FOR ATTENTION) tHAT WAS THE DIAGNOSIS FROM 1 DOCTOR. Next month different doctor, same diagnosis. I was really getting concerned by the 3 month of this. I took her again to another doctor at the clinic and now we have a medical problem because she is throwing up frequently, starting to refuse to eat and oh no, started losing weight. Well, surprise, surprise.... she had severe reflux(heartburn) and the only way she knew how to help the situation was by throwing up. If she threw up, all the acid would be removed and she would feel better.

I wanted to give you more info but I need to get back to work. I am not saying its not behavior.......but rule out all medical conditions before you except the lack of parenting skills being a problem.

If you think there is a problem, you know your children the best, keep going until yopu get an answer. If your doctor is of no help, request/demand to see a pediatric gastroenterologist. They specialize in children and digestive disorders. The testing is not alot of fun but neither is feeling sick half the day.

Good luck! I hope that reflux is all it is, that can be treated. If it does end up behavior.......good luck, theres even less help out there on this topic. I have investigated alot, my 12 year old has behavior issues and have had them since 4 years old. She has ADHD & oppositional defiance disorder. It took me a long time to find a doctor thta was educated enough to help. Then I moved across the country.

H. B.

If you are worried about the weight issue, I'd take him to your pediatrician.

As far as the throwing up, I would make him clean it up. Of course he can not do it on his own, but you need to be firm and tell him that he made the mess and now he needs to clean it up. If he were truly sick, you would do it of course.

This totally sounds like an attention seeking behavior that needs to be handled immediately. I would sit him down and tell him exactly what consequence he will get if he throws up because of him being upset. Have this conversation when he is not angry or in trouble. Just randomly. Tell him that you do not approve of it and that he is the only one that can control his body and needs to do so.

If you try to talk to him during the episode, you probably won't get anywhere. Don't get mad. Don't show emotion while he is getting upset. Sometimes you just have to walk away and let him gag and throw up. Leave the mess until he is calmed down enough to help you clean it up.

You do not want this becoming a behavior that continues. I think your pediatrician could probably give you some advice on this as well.

Good luck!

My son use to do that, he is five now. When he use to get upset and put him self throw a trantrum I would look at him and say breath and breath with him to com him down so that way he would not get himself so worked up. Then after he commend down I would ask him did this help you get your way and he would say no. And I would ask him depending on what he wants what is the process you need to go through to earn what you want being a new toy, tv, ect. And reward him extra when he follow the way he is suppose to ask and let him know he did a very good job. My son stopped the throwing up tantrum right before he turned four. Hope this helps.

-A.

Dear B.:

I want to let you know that your sense of loving should be commended. I would be scared if I experienced ongoing vomiting with either of my sons. I have a 3 year old and I find that there are lessons with each new behavior he develops. I also have a 7 month old and I can see how much the 3 year old has learned & grown since his birth.

I think all of the suggestions have been something to consider, and I would not presume to know exactly what is happening. My Advice: Do what feels right in your heart. He is the best source of information about WHY he is vomiting. Asking your son is where I would start. You can draw the body and explain to him why you are concerned. If it is voluntary he should stop with the understanding that Mommy is scared and worried for him. Involuntary vommiting would be more of a physical response...that a doctor...or holistic health care professional can give answers to.

Best of luck with this issue! I hope the advice serves you well & know that you are a wonderful & caring mother. Blessings.

You should really speak to your pediatrician about this... he or she will probably rule out any possible illness, etc. and then give you some good advice about how to handle it if it is behaviorial. Pediatricians have heard it all! Also, will help you regulate his weight properly which might be a seperate issue.

I would call his pediatrian for this.

I have been through this twice, not with my children but children that I baby-sat. Children are very smart, even smarter than they know. You have to catch up with your child. He is controlling you and you’re letting him. This is not only bad for you and your family but also bad for him. I love the children I work with and they know it so when I am hard on them they may not like it but there is no doubt that I am cracking down on them for their own good. You need a consistent punishment to be used every time he throws the food up as well as some replacement food of the same exact kind to be put back into his bowl. In other word he is going to eat it no matter what. He is worth your time, and I mean time. You may need to take a break and serve him the same food for the next meal 'till he eats exactly what you said to and you've won. (Tell your self that you will win.) The two children that I watched that used this throw up control thing stopped using it on me. They continued to use it on others and that was their parent’s responsibility. I did what I could and just so you know both children love me very much. I say this because even discipline is spending time with you child.
Best to you both,
L.

I have a friend who has an adopted little girl who's birth mother used drugs her entire pregnancy. Baby was very malnutritioned & they believed she would never speak, go to school or even walk. She has done all of them. When she was 4 till about 5&1/2 or so she too began making herself so upset when she didn't get what she wanted she would throw up. For the longest time my friend would do everything to not let her get so upset. When she, & the much needed help of a counselor, finally realized she was using it as a tool, she was advised to take her to her room & tell her "if you throw up this time I'm not going to clean it up off you or the floor. If you do throw up you will have to clean it up yourself when you have calmed down." Shut the door & leave her alone for a few minutes. Shure enough she threw up & as hard as it was to not take care of it like she always had, she left her to her own stuff. She would check on her of corse & tell her to change her clothes when she was ready. Got her everything she needed to clean up when she was, shower, towels, etc. They talked about it and prayed together shared how they felt,
After this traumatic event her little girl told her, "Mommy that was really grose, I won't ever do that again." & she hasn't. If a mentally challenged little girl can do something like this I have no doubt a healthy thinking little guy could do it too.
Good luck

Hi B.,

If you feel your son is overweight, then give me a call and I will do an analysis on him to see where he needs to be, no charge. You can also have him go to your pediatrician and have him checked. We may also find that what he is eating is causing it. Certain foods can be hard on a child’s system.

Feel free to call me we can do this over the phone ###-###-####

Hope this helps.