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My child is vomiting - when is it dangerous?

Emergency numbers: 108 ambulance · 112 national emergency · Poison centre (AIIMS, 24x7): 1800-116-117

Quick answer: Most vomiting in children is caused by a common virus and stops on its own within a day. The two real dangers are dehydration and a short list of surgical emergencies. Go to the ER now for: green (bile-coloured) vomit, blood or "coffee-ground" vomit, forceful projectile vomiting in a young baby, severe or worsening tummy pain, a swollen hard belly, or a child who is drowsy and not themselves. Otherwise, your job is small, frequent sips of ORS and watching for dehydration.

🟢 GREEN - You can usually watch at home when

  • Your child vomited once or twice but is now keeping sips of fluid down, is alert, playful between episodes, and passing urine normally.
  • The vomiting came with a mild fever or cold symptoms and your child is otherwise acting close to normal.

🟡 YELLOW - Call your paediatrician today if

  • Vomiting continues beyond 12-24 hours, or your child cannot keep even small sips of clear fluid down.
  • Fever lasting more than 24-48 hours along with the vomiting.
  • Early signs of dehydration: a dry mouth, fewer tears, playing less than usual, urinating less (fewer than 6 wet diapers a day in an infant), or a sunken soft spot in a baby.
  • Your child is getting worse instead of better, or something about the vomiting worries you.

🔴 RED - Go to the emergency room NOW if

  • Green (bile-coloured) vomit - this can mean a blockage in the intestine.
  • Vomit with blood in it, or vomit that looks like coffee grounds.
  • Forceful, projectile vomiting in a young baby (especially 2-8 weeks old) who stays hungry and vomits after most feeds - this can be pyloric stenosis, a narrowing of the stomach outlet that needs surgery.
  • Severe tummy pain, pain that keeps getting worse, or a swollen, hard, tender belly.
  • Your child is unusually drowsy, confused, floppy, or very hard to wake.
  • Signs of severe dehydration: no urine for 8-12 hours, no tears, sunken eyes, very dry mouth, cool or blotchy hands and feet.
  • Vomiting after a head injury, or vomiting with a stiff neck, severe headache, or a rash that does not fade when pressed.

🆘 SOS - What to do while you get help

  • Give ORS (oral rehydration solution) in tiny, frequent amounts - about 5-10 ml (1-2 teaspoons) every 5 minutes. Small sips stay down when big gulps come back up.
  • If a sip comes back up, wait 10-15 minutes and start again, even slower.
  • Keep your child off solid food for about the first 12-24 hours while the vomiting is frequent, then slowly restart light, normal food. Breastfeeding babies should keep breastfeeding.
  • Keep your child sitting up or on their side while vomiting, and never leave a vomiting drowsy child alone on their back.

❌ DO NOT

  • Do not give anti-vomiting medicines from the chemist unless your paediatrician has prescribed them for this illness.
  • Do not give large amounts of plain water, juice, cola or sports drinks - they have the wrong balance of sugar and salt and can make things worse. Use ORS.
  • Do not force-feed solid food while your child is actively vomiting.
  • Do not wait out green vomit or projectile vomiting in a young baby - these do not settle at home.

What is happening and why

Vomiting is usually the stomach's way of clearing a viral infection, and most children need nothing more than time and careful fluids. Doctors worry about two patterns: fluid loss faster than it can be replaced (dehydration), and vomiting caused by a blockage or another surgical problem.

That is why the colour and force of the vomit matter so much: green means bile from below the stomach, projectile vomiting in a young baby points to a narrowed stomach outlet, and vomiting with severe pain or a hard swollen belly points to a blockage. All three need a hospital, not home remedies.

This page is for first-aid education and does not replace examination by a doctor. In an emergency, call 108 or 112.

Sources (last checked 13 Sep 2026)

Reviewed and approved by Dr Anjana Alekhya, MD (Paediatrics) · Published 13 September 2026