Virtually every baby and toddler will get diarrhoea and/or vomiting at some point. The main concern with diarrhoea and vomiting in babies is a risk of dehydration.

But it can be hard to recognise what is normal and what isn't.

Follow the links below for guidance on what is okay and what could be a sign of illness

• Is it diarrhoea?
• Is it vomiting?
• Is it a fever?
• Is my child dehydrated?
• What could be causing it?

Is it diarrhoea?

With a new baby, it can be difficult sometimes to know what is diarrhoea and what is just a bit of a messy nappy. The frequency, colour and solidness of a child’s poo depends on how old they are, if they are breast or bottle fed and whether they have started solids.

Bottle fed babies usually pass stools once a day while breast fed babies normally poo after every feed, and both tend to be fairly loose. These become less frequent and more solid as food is added to the diet.

By the time your child is on regular meals, he or she will likely have what parents would consider to be a more normal movement - less frequent and more solid, and diarrhoea should be easier to recognise.

With diarrhoea, you can expect an increase in volume and frequency and the result is likely to be very runny and may be particularly foul smelling. The colour may be different as well.

Back to top

Is it vomiting?

Bringing up a feed or posseting - when a baby brings up a small amount of milk, often with a burp - is completely normal and shouldn’t be mistaken for vomiting. It is not normally a cause for concern. 

However, if a child suddenly brings up an entire feed, or large quantities regularly, or it is particularly violent, this is likely to be vomiting and could be a sign of an infection or illness.

Back to top

Is it a fever?

A normal temperature is 36.0-36.8ºC (96.8-98.24ºF). In babies or children, any temperature of 38.0°C (100.4°F) or above is considered high and is classed as a fever.

If you want to find out if your child has a fever, use a thermometer.  If you don’t have one, a hand placed lightly on the back of your child's neck can be an indicator of whether they are hot or not.

Back to top

Is my child dehydrated?

Young children, particularly babies, can be at risk of dehydration from diarrhoea and vomiting. It is important to take steps to try to stop this happening. Some of the signs of dehydration include, dry lips and mouth, clammy hands and feet and pale skin with sunken eyes. Follow this link to learn about more signs of dehydration in children and how to manage it.

If your child shows signs of dehydration or you are concerned, you should contact your doctor or NHS Direct on 0845 4647

Back to top

What could be causing it?

In babies and young children the most likely reason for vomiting and diarrhoea is rotavirus infection. There are other causes of diarrhoea, vomiting and fever in babies, such as an infection, an allergic reaction, a cold, or even antibiotics.  But the most likely cause is rotavirus.

Find out more in our Rotavirus section >