Just curious... children who vomit!!

Specialties School

Published

What is your all's policy regarding children who vomit?

I'm talking, a child who has vomited, whom after vomiting seems just

fine, no fever, no other symptoms.

What about a child who vomits, who has vomited like this before,

and history shows that once the child vomits one time, he's fine

after that?

I ask because I've been called to school several times now over

the past year or two, to come and take my son home and make him

miss the entire day of school, because of one episode of

vomiting. Usually he vomits on the bus on the way to school,

sometimes he vomits as soon as he gets to school. He is

always FINE after that and I have told the school nurse this.

Doesn't seem to matter, I have to take him home for the

rest of the day.

1. I KNOW there is always the possibility of a virus that could be

spread around.

2. No I don't know why he does this. Possibly he is getting motion

sickness on the bus from the constant stopping and starting. Possibly

it has something to do with his medicine. Possibly he needs something

to eat. I am really not sure. Whatever causes it, he usually does it

just once and then he is fine the rest of the day.

3. No I don't mind having him at home, but I do mind him missing

more school than necessary.

I guess I just maybe need to get him to the doctor and explore

why this happens, and maybe get a note from the doctor saying that

it is unneccesary to excuse him every time it happens.

It doesn't happen more than once a month or so.

Anyway, I'm just curious, what are your policies on this sort of

thing? Totally curious as to your thoughts.

Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.

In our handbook it states that we only send kids home for vomiting if it's illness related. So basically if the kid is throwing up all the time and is obviously sick, they are going home.

What I usually do is I keep them in my room for a while, watching them and see how they act. Sometimes kids who are truly sick are not wanting to talk and are visibly sick, but the ones who after throwing up feel better, they are just happily talking it up with me and such.

I do call parents for every incident and I do let them choose to pick them up or not, if they aren't vomiting anymore.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, CCU and School Nurse.

What I usually do is I keep them in my room for a while, watching them and see how they act. Sometimes kids who are truly sick are not wanting to talk and are visibly sick, but the ones who after throwing up feel better, they are just happily talking it up with me and such.

I do call parents for every incident and I do let them choose to pick them up or not, if they aren't vomiting anymore.

This is what I do too. Too many parents complain about too many things. I let them make the decision although I do make it clear if I think they should be ok to stay or not.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Given your kid's history, I'd take temp and observe for a little while, no further episodes and off to class he goes. I

I have too many kids with weak gag reflexes to send them home every time they threw up. This is especially true right after breakfast and lunch.

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Not all vomiting is created equal!!!! Although. we do have a vomiting exclusion policy - we have this as a way to exclude kids that are truly contagious. If a child has reflux, car/bus sickness, anxiety, etc. I do not exclude those kids. I feel that is why schools that have full time nurses are so lucky. We have the ability to use our nursing assessment and judgement to try to keep kids in their sets learning. Teachers, administrators see vomit as a black and white issue when truthfully, there are so many shades of grey.

I rarely see a true puker, it is either unwitnessed in the bathroom or phlegm. When I do see a true vomiter - they have a certain look, a certain smell and some remains on their shirt.

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Specializes in kids.

I rarely see a true puker, it is either unwitnessed in the bathroom or phlegm. When I do see a true vomiter - they have a certain look, a certain smell and some remains on their shirt.

True statement!

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I am in a K-6 elementary. Our policy is if a child vomits they go home and remain out for 24 hours from the last time they vomited. I also, get to use my discretion too though. This actually was an issue just yesterday for me. I have been having quite a few of 5th grade boys that are "vomiting" in the bathroom. I have since investigated and found they were making themselves vomit to go home...Didn't work too well for them though, since I do not send anyone home if the vomit was not witnessed anyways.

In the OP question, I would have probably sent home the first time, then questioned the second time. If it is a "routine" vomiting, they would go on to class

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