When you first meet your baby, you will be amazed and startled. Getting used to them can seem like such a relief, but vomiting from a baby, which we usually call “baby vomit” can be very concerning. In this article on kidsrush.com, we will tell you why is my baby vomiting when they do not have a fever. Let’s start!
There’s a good chance you’ll have to deal with this to some extent since many daily illnesses can cause your baby to throw up regardless of their fever. This occurs even if the baby doesn’t have other symptoms or even a fever.
Most causes of vomiting in babies will resolve without treatment, which means the only thing you need to do is wash the child, change their clothes, and cuddle the child more intensely. Other causes like motion sickness might need the attention of a doctor.
Related: Baby Vomiting: Causes, Remedies, and Treatment
Throw up or vomit?
Even though he or she is on a steady diet of milk or formula, your infant may look nearly the same when spitting up and vomit. One of the major differences between them is how they emerge.
Your baby may spit up before or after a burp, and it is most common in children younger than one year of age. Spit-up is a crystallized fluid that appears like white, milky drool flowing from your baby’s mouth.
Vomiting is usually a physical occurrence (i.e. whether you’re an infant or an adult). It occurs when the brain triggers the stomach muscles to squeeze and push out whatever happens in the stomach.
As a parent, you may not be concerned about the tooth decay or spit-up in your child because you might believe the baby is upset tummy. However, you may not be aware until they are much older than they have started showing symptoms of illness, such as vomiting.
The only sign your baby has that they are about to throw up is their coughing or making retching sounds. Don’t let this pass without gathering a towel, bucket, burp cloth, sweater, or whatever else that you have on hand.
Also, your baby can vomit at any time. They only throw up when they have a gastrointestinal issue or an illness.
Related: Rheumatic Fever In Children: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
Baby vomiting without fever has a wide variety of causes
Problems with feeding
This is the time of a baby’s life when everything is new for them, including learning to feed and tolerating the milk. She will probably spit up occasionally, and she will probably vomit occasionally after being fed. You can read more about lactose intolerance in this article: 5 questions about lactose intolerance in children.
It is normal in the first few days for a newborn to have an uneven growth pattern due to its stomach becoming accustomed to eating. They should also learn not to overeat or gulp down milk too quickly, as this can delay maturation.
You can help stop the vomiting by giving your baby smaller feeds more frequently, this way they will eat less frequently.
If your child vomits often, please email or call your pediatrician. In some cases, it could be a sign that he or she is having feeding difficulties other than vomiting.
Stomach flu could be a possible cause of baby vomiting without fever
The stomach flu or gastroenteritis is one of the leading causes of vomiting in babies and young children. The illness may last more than 24 hours and your baby may have many episodes of vomiting.
Babies may have other symptoms that last up to four days:
- A poop or diarrhea that is watery, runny, or mild
- Crying or irritability
- poor appetite
- Constipation and tummy pain
Fevers are also commonly caused by tummy bugs, though not as much in babies.
Most gastroenteritis patients think they have a serious disease, little do they know, they actually have a viral infection.
Severe gastroenteritis in babies can result in dehydration, which is when you should contact your pediatrician immediately.
- skin that feels dry, or lips that feel dry, or eyes that feel dry.
- Sleepiness that seems unusual
- 8-12 hours without wet diapers
- weak cry
- cry without tears
Infant reflux
Babies have a lot in common with adults. Just like children of any age can be affected by acid reflux in the same manner, some babies may develop infant reflux. A baby who suffers from GERD is likely to vomit in the first few months of life.
When the stomach muscles become too tight after being fed as a result of acid reflux, children vomit.
Your baby’s vomiting should go away as its stomach muscles strengthen. Nevertheless, you can try and slow it down by:
- overfeeding should be avoided
- by reducing the amount of food and distributing it more frequently
- The baby should be burped often.
- You should prop your baby up upright for about 30 minutes after feeding him or her.
A baby can be fed either formula or milk that has been thickened with more milk or with a bit of baby cereal. Warning: Consult your pediatrician before you try this method.
Related: Home remedies to lower fever in children
Flu and cold
It doesn’t matter if they are in a daycare class with other cute little sniffling classmates, or if they’re being kissed on the face by adults who are reluctant to resist. In the first year of your child’s life, he or she may suffer seven colds.
Your baby may have a runny nose along with vomiting without a fever, as well as a cold or flu.
Nasal drip can lead to forceful coughing in the toddler and baby that can sometimes cause vomiting. This condition can be aggravated by too much nose mucus.
Colds, flu, and sinus congestion usually go away in about a week. However, it is possible for bacterial infections, not just viral infections, to occur in babies. To treat such infections, antibiotics will be required.
Infection of the ear
Another ear infection is the nose infection, which is very common in infants and young children. That is because the tubes leading to their ears are horizontal rather than vertical, as they are in adults.
Aside from nausea and vomiting, a small child might also have dizziness and loss of balance from an ear infection. Other symptoms of an ear infection in babies include:
- A painful ear
- Tug or scratch near the ears
- Having muffled hearing
- diarrhea
If you notice your baby has ear infections, it’s a good idea to visit your pediatrician in the unlikely event your baby would need antibiotics. Your baby’s ears may be permanently damaged from a severe ear infection.
Overheating
Make sure the temperature inside and outside of your home is comfortable before you swaddle your baby.
Babies thrive in a nesting period when they are warm and cozy. Despite that fact, if you expose them to hot weather or an exceptionally warm environment, they can quickly become overheated, which may only result in vomiting and dehydration.
Watch for some of the following symptoms when experiencing symptoms of overheating:
- clammy, pale skin
- Crying and irritability
- floppiness or sleepiness
You have to remove your baby’s clothing and keep them away from the sun or heat. If your baby has not grown sufficiently yet, give them a drink of water or try to breastfeed them. When your child doesn’t behave normally, you must seek medical attention immediately.
Motion sickness
Car sickness is not typically a problem for babies younger than 2 years, however, some may get sick after car rides or being spun around after a meal is consumed.
When your baby is already feeling bloated, gassy, or constipated, motion sickness might make him feel nauseous and nauseated, leading him to vomit.
Nausea can also make your baby feel dizzy, especially if they’re around strong smells or bumpy roads. Since vomiting triggers more saliva, you might notice your baby dribbling more before vomiting.
Sleeping babies are less likely to complain about motion sickness when you choose to go on your trip when they can sleep when awake.
A well-supported head position is essential so that your baby’s head does not move around too much in the car seat. Besides, avoid driving right after you have given him/her a full feed since this is the time when the milk should be digested.
Intolerance to milk
Galactosemia is a kind of milk intolerance in which babies are born lacking an enzyme that breaks down glucose in milk, which causes them to become sensitive to breast milk.
The health problem causes nausea and vomiting after a milk or dairy product is ingested. As a child, or even as an adult, it may result in a skin rash or itching.
The ingredients for formulas that contain milk and milk proteins should be checked by their parents before the baby is given the formula.
Tests tend to be done with a heel-prick and a urine test on newborns to ensure they are free of SLE and other serious illnesses.
You’ll know immediately your baby’s suffering from this in the rare event they do. Make them completely avoid milk so they do not vomit and develop other symptoms.
Pyloric stenosis: Baby vomiting without fever
Pyloric Stenosis is a rare condition in which the entrance to the stomach, intestines, and other tissues become blocked, resulting in excessive vomiting after eating.
In addition to being always hungry, your baby may also exhibit signs of pyloric stenosis:
- dehydration
- weight loss
- stomach contractions resembling a wave
- constipation
- less bowel movement
- Wet diapers are fewer
Your child needs surgery for this rare condition. See your pediatrician right away if any of your baby’s symptoms match pyloric stenosis symptoms.
Intussusception
The condition, intussusception, occurs in one out of every 1,200 babies and is most commonly seen between the ages of 3 and 15 months. It causes the baby to vomit without a fever.
Damaged intestines can “telescope” (slip into a different part of the intestine) into the other intestine when there’s a virus causing the damage.
An acute stomachache might cause a child to curl their knees up under their chest or have violent cramps lasting for about 15 minutes.
This intestinal disease has other symptoms including:
- tiredness and fatigue
- nausea
- bowel movements containing blood or mucus
You may have an infant with intussusception. Sometimes this can be relieved with a treatment called intussusception therapy. Intussusception therapy uses air to roll the intestine and removes severe symptoms.
When you need to see a doctor
In case of vomiting that lasts longer than 12 hours, consult your baby’s pediatrician. If your baby gets very dehydrated while vomiting.
You can take your baby to the hospital right away if they are vomiting and have other symptoms:
- discomfort or pain
- forceful or constant coughing
- diarrhea
- is in a dry diaper for 3 to 6 hours
- refusing to eat
- a dry tongue or lips
- When crying, few or no tears are shed
- sleepy or extra tired
- weakness or floppy
- won’t smile
- a stomach that is bloated or swollen
- blood in stool
The Bottom Line
Vomiting in your baby without fever is usually the result of multiple illnesses. More than likely, your baby will have several of these in the first year, each of which might not require any treatment.
When it’s too much vomiting, the child can end up dehydrated, so you need to watch out for the signs of dehydration. If necessary, you will have to consult your pediatrician.
You’ll need to get medical attention if your baby begins vomiting for reasons serious enough. It’s crucial you know the warning signs, have your doctor’s number on hand and take a deep breath. Sharing this knowledge will help you get through this with each other.