Vomiting and diarrhea
This page is reference information compiled from the cited sources. It is not medical advice. For any decision about health, diagnosis or care, consult a qualified professional.
What it is
Vomiting and diarrhea are symptoms of gastroenteritis, which is an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract including the stomach and intestine. Gastroenteritis usually involves both diarrhea and vomiting, though sometimes only one or the other is present. This may be accompanied by abdominal cramps. These symptoms are part of a condition that typically lasts less than two weeks. In Canada and the United States, it is often referred to as "stomach flu," although it is not related to influenza.
Key facts
Symptoms may include diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Fever, lack of energy, and dehydration may also occur. Signs and symptoms usually begin 12–72 hours after contracting the infectious agent. If due to a virus, the condition usually resolves within one week. In children, rotavirus is the most common cause of severe disease, and children infected with rotavirus usually make a full recovery within three to eight days. In adults, norovirus and Campylobacter are common causes. Dehydration is a common complication of diarrhea, and severe dehydration in children may be recognized by signs like prolonged capillary refill and poor skin turgor. Abnormal breathing is another sign of severe dehydration. Eating improperly prepared food, drinking contaminated water, or having close contact with an infected person can spread the disease.
When to seek professional help
Severe dehydration in children may be recognized if the skin color and position returns slowly when pressed, which is called prolonged capillary refill and poor skin turgor. Abnormal breathing is another sign of severe dehydration. For more severe cases, intravenous fluids may be needed, and fluids may also be given by a nasogastric tube. Antibiotics are recommended for young children with a fever and bloody diarrhea. The source also mentions that Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome may occur due to certain infections, which causes low platelet counts, poor kidney function, and low red blood cell count, and children are more predisposed to getting it than adults.
Source: Gastroenteritis (CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikipedia)), retrieved 2026-09-02.
