I have seen plenty of posts about kids having reflux and other gastrointestinal issues... but my son does not have anything wrong with him. He throws up at daycare about 2-3 times a week. It's only once, usually around lunch. At first, my care provider (it's an in-home thing) called me each time. The problem is that there is no fever, no other "illness" indicators. So we would take him back the next day, and sometimes he would get sick again, sometimes not. He does not get sick anywhere else or for anyone else.... ONLY at daycare. He has seen multiple doctors and they cannot find anything wrong. He's not allergic to anything, as he eats the same food at daycare that he eats at home. I think that he either is bored (he is the oldest kid there) or he wants attention (negative or positive). I know (or at least HOPE) he will grow out of it, but I am looking for advice. We are changing care providers so that he can be in a preschool environment with other 3-4 year olds.
@Lynn-- she says she doesn't force them to eat at lunch. she says he will be talking and eating just fine, and then all of a sudden, he will get sick. no wretching, no noice, no nothing. i thought that it could be food related, but seeing that he does NOT puke anywhere else (home or otherwise), I think it's the care. I mean, of course, she's not going to say she doesn't give him the same attention.....
Anyone else have this experience? What did you do to "fix" it? I am at a complete loss. I have always trusted his current care provider, and he will tell me that he likes "her" and all his friends. But of course he's also 3 and he tells stories too. He hasn't said anything that raises a red flag ("she" hits me or "she" spanks me) but it's obvious that he does not like going there. And now that we are leaving, I am beginning to see a different side to DC provider and I am wondering if maybe she isn't a bit harsh with him? I don't know anything for sure. Anyone? HELP!!!!
Thanks for all your answers and advice!!!! He starts pre-school in 2 weeks, and he is sooooo excited!!! :) I am really hoping that the change will be the right answer!
Um, my first thought would be stress. My step daughter used to do it every time she had to go to her mom's and then the first day she was back home. She couldn't handle the tension between her mom and dad and going back and forth. Hopefully it improves with the new provider.
not to be rude, but i think he does it for attention, my daughter can throw up on command when she wants something, say he threw up at your house, what did you do, you run for him tell him its okay ect. give him special treatment because he "sick". he gets a bath and plays. he will think well my mommy gives me all that attention for throwing up, lets try it at day care. its a very good trick my daughter has mastered it. now i just ignore her. she knows that that when she throws up and she is not really sick, that she is going to get a cold bath, and right back out and to bed.
Hmmm...Is he upset at all? Does he not want to go to daycare? I went thru the same thing with my sitter. My 5 year old was going to a sitter 2 times a week. She was dreading going there. By lunch time, she was so upset about being there, that she would throw up her lunch. My sitter wouldn't deal with it. She told me that there was something wrong with my child and that if I didn't take her to a doctor by a certain date, she wouldn't watch her anymore. Guess what. I pulled my child right out of there!!! And she has been fine ever since! There was nothing wrong with her. I think it was the sitter. Something was not right. My daughter wouldn't discuss it with me. I tried. But, its all over and we have forgotten about it. I think my child does have some anxiety, but its mild. She definitely doesn't get all hyped up to where she throws up anymore when anyone else watches her or when she goes to preschool! You may want to look into another daycare. Good luck!
I wonder if he is bored and she is harder or not as loving as with younger kids and he gets nervous and/or upset?
What is the different side?
I think you in a sense answered your own question by changing providers. Something about being there is the trigger, and though you didn't say so, I'd bet that the day care he's currently in has younger kids, maybe even mostly younger kids, is that right? He may be throwing up "on command" to get attention at a time, mealtime, when younger ones are probably getting a lot of attention.
You're smart to move him to setting where he will interact more with kids his own age. Be aware though that if he throws up there, they will send him home and probably tell you not to send him back until he has spent 24 hours vomit-free -- that's the policy preschools around here would use. He will have more consequences in preschool if he vomits there -- not "consequences" like discipline! but consequences like being sent home immediately, not at the end of the day, and being required to stay home for a full day, etc. Probably it won't even be an issue at the new preschool since he should be engaged and interested if the place is good.
