All 3 Kids Are Puking Now

The most likely thing is that they all ate the same thing -- it sounds like food poisoning to me. For example, is it possible that they all -- including the nephew -- ate the same leftovers from Thanksgiving???

I think the thinking is that without a fever, it is simply food poisoning. But, since your kids have fallen ill days apart, I wouldn't blame food. Sounds like one of the stomach viruses. This is very contagious. Our pediatrician suggests feeding the kids whatever they will eat and make sure that they are staying hydrated. If the kids haven't thrown up or had diarrhea in 24 hours, you can safely send them to school, but we've had bouts of this where the child vomited or had watery diarrhea 28 hours apart... Just enough to keep us on our toes. Rest assured, the other kids have probably already been exposed. This sort of thing makes it's way around, quickly. :) I wish you guys a speedy recovery. Doesn't this just make you want to throw up your hands and cry for your own mom?

Ummm, yeah. It is totally contagious. Two words... wash everything! I also have a UV light that I use like crazy (get it at Lowes). Anyway, my kids rarely get a fever with a stomach virus (which is what causes it) but it is definitely contagious. What an odd thing to tell you? Good luck and I feel your pain (I have 3 also and one is just getting over the stomach bug and I am holding bets on who will come down with it next.)Good luck.

I think the stomach bug is always contagious. Kids should never be sent back to school or to a sitter until they have been completely symptom free for 24 to 48 hours. So don't be suprised if the other kids at the sitters get sick and possibly pass it back to your kids if they come to the sitters sick.

All of my kids had this earlier this year and I have a household similar to yours. It was definitely contagious---I got it, too, and it was AWFUL! (Maybe the nurse thought it was from a food source which in that case it would not be contagious if they all ate the same contaminated meal). Make sure you wash your hands A LOT! It does blow over eventually. I just gave them Pedialite and a little yogurt when they could eat. Good luck!

Vomit free (or fever free) for 24 hours of the onset is the earliest I would send them back to the sitters or school. Even if there's a CHANCE that they are contagious (sounds like they are to me). Also, I was told to give ice chips slowly if they can't keep anything at all down. Slowly, ice chips or sips of water, even popcicles to keep hydration. My little one loves to get popcicles when he's pukey.

Good luck.

Hi S.,

I'm so sorry you're going through this! I hope they all feel better soon.

I would certainly get a second opinion, or at least quarantine them until they feel better.

When the doc said it is not contageous she might have meant it is not viral. It is possible that it is bacterial, which while not contageous in the same way as a virus can certainly spread through unwashed hands, dirty fingernails, etc. In a family, a young child might use the rest room and forget to wash properly afterward then touch the food of another child, thus spreading the bacteria. It could also be food poisoning, though the time lapse might not make sense.

Bacteria do usually cause a rise in temperature. The body raises the temperature to make the bacteria die of heat. It's a hostile environment. Bacteria which invade the human body thrive at 98.6 degrees.

At any rate, without a lot of tests it is impossible to just decide that it is bacterial or viral. If it is bacterial a doctor often prescribes antibiotics, though most things the body can solve by itself. Certainly some bacteria are more wicked than others, so if it does not go away in three days or if your children are seeming dehydrated or lethargic, do take them in to a clinic to be seen. If it is viral there isn't much that can be done but if they are showing signs of dehydration that at least must be treated.

It sounds to me that the doctor is just not being a good communicator and doesn't want you to worry. She should not have said that it is not contageous. Unless she knows of the specific bacteria/ virus causing this (and there might be something going around that she is seeing a lot of), she had no business telling you it is not contageous.

I think the right thing to do would be to keep them home. I know that isn't easy to arrange. I hope it ends very soon!

Best wishes.

Anything that is passed from one person to another is contagious and everyone will respond to the bug differently. When something like this happens at my house, I go to disposables. Anything that can be tossed when it's done will cut down on the possibility of someone grabbing the wrong thing and drinking/eating after another.
If you go the chicken soup route, be sure to put lots of fresh garlic in when you make the stock. It has natural anti viral capabilities.
I don't know if they'll drink hot (warm) tea but if you can get them to, sweeten it with honey. Honey had natural anti bacterial capabilities and it should help relieve throat irritaion caused by the vomitting.
Always wait AT LEAST 20 minutes after vomitting to try to reintroduce any type of food/drink. It's better to start with a clear liquid (start with a tablespoon of broth, give it 10 or 15 minutes to see if it stays down and work your way up in the amount when it does) and then reintroduce soft foods that easily digestible (baked potatoes are the best). Keep in mind that the diarrhea will remain until they are back on a steady solid diet. (You can't poop solids if there's no solids in the system.)
Good Luck.

S., I don't know why the nurse would say that. There are definitely viruses that are contagious without presenting a fever. Obviously in your case! I would definitely do the whole "quarantined in the house" thing until it blows over. Lots of movies, little sips of water or watered down juice, rest!
Good luck!
D.

The same thing went through my house at Thanksgiving. The youngest boy started throwing up and then his brother -- and then to the adults. The adults lasted 24 hour bug but the kids took a few days. The kids didn't have fever but the adults got fever. There is a bug going around. Keep your kids hydrated. Being a working mom sucks when the kids are sick. Good luck with it. After 3 days the youngest boy was better and after 24 hours the older boy was better. I think it hits younger kids harder.

good luck. It does sound contagious. Our preschool and elementary school have rules that a child needs to be fever free and have no vomiting or diarrehea for at least 24 hours before returning.

Sounds like it does have to ride its course. We've all been there. Hang in there. It will be over before you know it. Wash everything. I also use those chlorox wipes on door knobs, sink handles, plastic toys, etc. Good luck!

Hi S.,
My almost three year old just had stomach bug and still recovering from it. It is contagious because after she stopped vommiting and felt little better from a couple of days sickness, my husband had disturbed stomach and had fever with flu like symptoms. After couple of rounds of diarrhea he felt normal with no flu like symptoms. Now they both are doing okay and i am down with upset stomach since yesterday.Here is what doctor explained to us: After her vomitting keep giving some liquid (we gave fresh lemonade, ginger ale and coke after all bubbles are gone)every 10 minutes once it stays give some rice product ( plain rice with some salt, rice puffs or crackers) bananas,etc. But no dairy product especially yogurt or milk because it stays in stomach for a long time and can cause tummy ache or gassy stomach. Doc. said it starts with vomitting and ends with diarrhea and once they have diarrhea they get rid of the bug. So if your kids have diarrhea it's a good sign, they will feel better soon. But if vomitting continues then the bug is still in upper part of food pipe. My daughter was feeling hungry but was very nauseated and could not eat much for atleast 5 days. In total it took 7 days before she could start eating well. Doctor also suggested to give lot of fibre rich food to help with bowel movement and get rid of any remaining bugs.Currently, I am giving her lots of green beans, grated carrots, baked sweet potatoes, etc. and she is not complaning about tummy ache now. Touchwood!
Hope your kids feel better soon.

My kiddos (and hubby and I) had this over thanksgiving week. What we had only lasted 24 hours but some DID get it again! Some of us ran fever, some didn't. People don't always respond with a fever to certainly illnesses (such as colds, which are very contagious!)

Make sure you boil the tooth brushes and wash the bedclothes, sheets and blankets.

S., mom to 5 ages 5 and under!

Of Course its contagious. Most Stomach bugs that I have run in to do not have fevers with them, but stomach viruses are very contagious and you are exposing every one at your sitters(including the sitter) if you take them over there. Take a day or two at home with your kids. Feed them gatoraid, bananas, crackers and toast. And let them rest while you disinfect doorknobs, toilets, sink handles, remote controls, telephones and anything else they might have touched. Bleach there toys, wash there sheets and in the afternoons when it has warmed up a little open all the windows in your house and air it out. Don't send them back until they have all been vomit free for 24 hours. Good luck

My theory is that anytime my two kiddos have any type of illness, especailly vomitingand/or diahrea, I keep them apart. I will allow the one sho is sick to sleep with me and I keep all their necessities in my room, while the other can roam free through the house. When you have more than one, it is just certain that they will pass it along to the other which means, more off time for mom or dad and more time away from school cause they can pass it back and forth. Also, most times than not, if they get the illness a second time the symptoms can be varied and it can get tougher to fight.
With three I would recommend putting one in your room, one in the living room and one in their room. No more than two days should do it. A liquid diet will help them too, so lots of jello will keep them happy:)

Good luck!

your kids have a stomach virus. It is still germs even though they do not have a fever. And now you are passing it to other people. Give your kids small sips of liquids and don't worry about them being hungry right now. The only thing you can do is let it run its course.

I have been through 14 years of parenting and am in the medical field for 15. You see it come and go.

Obviously it is contagious, so just watch them closely and keep them hydrated. Also, for foods... my doctors have always said use the BRAT diet. Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast. Pedialyte and gatorade for hydration.