Help! 18 Mo. Old Daughter Throwing up in Car

She knows those foods are safe and won't give her reflux .My dd 11 months takes prevacid too.Applesauce is her favorite.

The med had enough time to really get out of her system and the strangest things can trigger it.So what we think of as bland could be a trigger for her.

Is her gag relex easily triggered?That may be why she wants things cut so small.

If she's in the back and it only happens in the car it's carsickness.If it can happen after lunch anywhere it's reflux.My Mya will have reflux if her stomach gets too empty too.

Hi S.,

I survived reflux, colic and 13 solid months of daily puking! Nothing more than Mylecon went in him for help.

However, a couple of things in your email caught me. Stop letting her eat and then putting her in the car. Feed her where she can digest without a car ride following. That would be elimination #1. Then, if that works, most of the problem is solved. Then work on the 'cut up sizes' of foods.

My second thoughts after reading through your post....I assume the dr prescribed the meds for the reflux? If not, please check with him/her. My thought on this is a food allergy....Celiac is a common culprit in many things. If she is eating breads, breaded products (like chicken nuggets) pastas, wheat/flours, etc., that could be a culprit in this whole event as well.

My kids don't have Celiac's but I have several friends whose children do. One is my god daughter and what a difference it has made in her to be off gluten and on other foods. It is relatively easy these days due to so many 'knowing' they have it and the regular grocery stores carry products to help- otherwise it's the health food stores.

Start with #1, make sure the dr is involved, ask about Celiac or it's possibility. Good luck and check back with us for an update.

Hi S.! My daughter suffered from both, and I feel your pain. Both are horrible on the kids. I just have a few pieces of advice. I know it is not easy but limit the amount of milk and other heavy foods/drinks before riding. The position they sit in in the carseat can worsen the reflux. My premature daughter could only ride in a carbed when we brought her home because of that. Also, with the car sickness at her age I think they don't like the use of the chewable dramamine (or at least that was what I was told). However, I have had wonderful results with the children's sea bands like you wear on cruises. You can get them at the drugstore for around $10. They are reusable and have worked perfectly when we visit my family in the mountains. My child has not gotten sick in the curves since we started putting them on her! Good luck, and it does get easier!!!

These are two symptoms that are very often seen in children with food sensitivities and developing sensory issues (i.e. texture of food). I would highly recommend you do some early testing on her starting with removing cow's milk and gluten (wheat). These two foods are difficult to digest and thus allow for gut inflamation to reduce, assisting the reflux. "She will not eat anything else, or She will starve" are the two typical responses. She will, with work and encouragement, she will. (search "GFCF kids" on the internet)

The throwing up is very much either car sickness stemming from the reflux, or from vestibular imbalence. Reflux issues are greatly helped by getting gut yeast under control. Proibotics (whole foods or wilner chemist) and a specific supplement called culturelle (wal-greens) can have a significant impact on this. Give her one of each every day in her milk or in her applesause.

You may want to consider having an OT evaluate her for early sensory things, vestibular imbalence (www.floortimeatlanta.com). I know sometimes this feels like you are asking for bad news, but it is not. It is asking to find out if there are ways you can help her and head off something harder (I lived the latter).

Email if this is not helpful, I will try to explain better. J

Hi S.,

It could be either. Reflux is usually painful and at 18 months she should be able to tell you in some way. Prevacid, even though it temporarily takes the pain away, is making it worse. The tummy is supposed to be acidic so that it can breakdown and digest food. When we use an ANTacid, we take away the tummy's ability to do that. (If food is not digesting it can go up through the system as well as down through the system. At her age I would be using a probiotic to balance her system. I know a good one for infants and toddlers if you're interested.

Also, a chiropractor can help. I recommend an Upper Cervical Specialist as they really understand the immune system and like other chiropractors, treat the body as a whole...

Digestive problems can lead to a number of awful things in adulthood that can be prevented. I was one of those kids and thankfully have been able to mend a lot of damage done, but most of the damage could have been avoided if my mother had known the facts. I now speak on nutritional issues and also environmental toxins and their effects on us and our families.

If you'd like to talk, let me know..

Regards,

M.

Hi S.:

If she is throwing only when she is traveling in the car then it is mostly likely car sickness. I have had motion sickness my entire life starting as a very small child. It is difficult now because children must ride in the back seat and the back seat is the worst place for those of us who are motion sick. I would not load her up on dramamine etc. for short trips but check with the physician about long trips if it persists.

maybe you should have her checked for chrons

Hi Sarah, I have a 14 month old twin daughter that has suffered from reflux. We just took her off her meds (did it gradually over about 3 weeks) and she seems to have adjusted well. However, a couple of months ago we had to use a standard car seat, as we were traveling overseas and couldn't use our infant car seats. She threw up 3 times during the 2 weeks we used this seat, once was coming off the plane, once on a ride to the mountains, and once the first time we tried it out at home. Since then, we have continued to use our infant seat, as she is still not 20 pounds. She has no trouble in that seat. I wondered a couple of things- have you recently changed car seats or seat positions? Did you go off the meds gradually? Our PED recommended tapering off over 1-2 week period. Some of the other advice you got sounds like something to consider. I don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me if babies with reflux are more prone to car sickness- I chalked my daughter's up as probably a combo of both. Once she goes back to the toddler seat, we will probably find out which it is. As far as her wanting the pieces of food cut up extensively, I'm just not sure about that. Best of luck to you and sorry I don't have more answers. By the way, I too have a yard full of weeds and a green swimming pool -I think they are supposed to be a crystal blue color :). F.

Hi S.,
Please take your child to a chiropractor! Prevacid leads to many underlying problems in adults after prolonged use, imagine what that does to an 18month old! There is a REASON she is doing this... Chiropractic will help you find it, MOST likely it is because of cervical misalignment that hasnt been fixed since birth, this leads to reflux, torticolis, colic, spit up, etc.. The birth process alone leads to this type of misalignment, vaccines also put the body thru trama which will in turn, lead to more misalignments...Reliving this misalignment will fix it for her. I am a chiropractor so please feel free to contact me with any questions. Our treatment is very gentle and the LEAST invasive you could possibly give her:) Good luck to you guys!

It could be either but since it's in the car only I would be inclined to say it's car sickness. You could give her a piece of childrens dramamine.I have horriable car nausia and things like pepermints, ginger mints, and sometimes gum make me feel better. but I'm not sure that you want to give those to an 18 month old. Altoids makes the peppermint and ginger mints that are chewable and not hard.

Also why did you take her off the med? I would deffinately call her dr.

Hi S.!

I have no idea how to help your daughter keep her lunch down but I am so glad that I am not the only one with a dirty house and weeds!! In one major way we differ...I have been way too nice to my husband and allowing him to "relax" after work. To my surprise, the relaxing time has grown in length to most of the time. I will have to get your advice on making him more helpful!!! He is wonderful with my twins but not helpful with the chores. I hope you get this worked out!!!