If someone is throwing up, the most important things you can do are keep them safe from choking, keep them hydrated, and watch for warning signs that need emergency care. Most vomiting episodes resolve on their own within 24 hours, but how you manage those hours makes a real difference in comfort and recovery.
Keep Them Safe While They’re Vomiting
If the person is sitting up and alert, let them lean forward over a bucket or toilet. Don’t try to stop the vomiting or hold them back. Stay nearby in case they feel dizzy or faint.
If the person is lying down, drowsy, or intoxicated, roll them into the recovery position to prevent choking. With the person on their back, kneel beside them and extend the arm nearest you out at a right angle, palm facing up. Fold their other arm so the back of their hand rests against the cheek closest to you. Bend the far knee to a right angle, then pull that knee toward you to roll them onto their side. Tilt the head back slightly and lift the chin to keep the airway open. This position ensures vomit drains out of the mouth rather than back into the throat.
Never leave an unconscious or semi-conscious person alone while they’re vomiting.
Start Fluids Slowly
Dehydration is the main risk when someone keeps throwing up, especially for young children and older adults. The trick is to start small. Gulping water on an empty, irritated stomach often triggers another round of vomiting.
Wait about 15 to 30 minutes after the last episode, then offer tiny sips of water, diluted juice, or an oral rehydration solution. A good target is a tablespoon or two every five to ten minutes. If that stays down, gradually increase the amount. For children, a useful guideline is roughly 1 teaspoon (5 mL) per kilogram of body weight every five minutes, given by spoon or syringe. If the child vomits again, pause for 30 minutes and restart.
You can make a simple rehydration drink at home: mix 4 cups of water with half a teaspoon of table salt and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Chicken broth with a couple of tablespoons of sugar stirred in works too. These replace both the fluid and the electrolytes lost through vomiting, which plain water alone doesn’t do well.
How to Check for Dehydration
Watch for dry lips and mouth, dark yellow urine, reduced urination, dizziness when standing, and unusual tiredness. In babies, look for fewer wet diapers, no tears when crying, and a sunken soft spot on the head.
A quick home test: pinch the skin on the back of the hand or on the abdomen so it tents up, hold for a few seconds, then let go. Healthy, hydrated skin snaps back immediately. If it returns slowly, that suggests moderate fluid loss. If the skin stays tented, that indicates severe dehydration, which needs prompt medical attention. Mild dehydration starts at about 5% of body weight lost as fluid, while severe dehydration is 15% or more.
When to Get Emergency Help
Most vomiting is caused by a stomach bug, food poisoning, or something the person ate that didn’t agree with them. But certain red flags mean you should call emergency services or go to the ER right away:
- Vomit containing blood, which can look bright red or like dark coffee grounds
- Vomiting after a head injury
- Severe headache with neck stiffness, confusion, or light sensitivity, which can signal meningitis
- Chest pain or shortness of breath, since vomiting can accompany a heart attack
- Severe abdominal pain, particularly on the lower right side, which may indicate appendicitis
- Signs of severe dehydration that aren’t improving with fluids, especially in infants or elderly adults
What to Eat Once the Vomiting Stops
You’ve probably heard of the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast). It’s fine for the first day or two, but current medical guidance says there’s no need to limit yourself to just those four foods. Brothy soups, oatmeal, boiled potatoes, crackers, and plain dry cereal are equally gentle on the stomach. The key is choosing bland, easy-to-digest options at first.
Once the stomach settles, reintroduce more nutritious foods fairly quickly. Cooked squash, carrots, skinless chicken, fish, eggs, and avocado all provide the protein and nutrients the body needs to recover. Research shows that following a highly restricted diet doesn’t actually help treat vomiting or gastroenteritis, so move back toward your normal meals as soon as your appetite allows. For children, experts recommend returning to their usual diet as soon as they’re willing to eat.
Avoid greasy, spicy, or very sweet foods for the first day or two. Dairy can be reintroduced once things feel stable, though some people find it irritating right away.
Things That May Help With Nausea
Ginger has the strongest evidence among home remedies. A review of clinical trials found that ginger supplements of 1 gram per day or less, taken over several days, reduced vomiting episodes significantly. You don’t need a supplement to try it. Ginger tea, ginger chews, or flat ginger ale (stir out the carbonation first) can help settle the stomach.
Cool, damp cloths on the forehead or back of the neck provide comfort. Fresh air helps too. If the person is lying in a stuffy room, cracking a window or running a fan can reduce the sensation of nausea. Strong smells, including food cooking, perfume, and cleaning products, tend to make nausea worse, so keep the environment as neutral as possible.
Caring for Children vs. Adults
Children dehydrate faster than adults because of their smaller body size, so fluid replacement needs closer attention. For a mildly dehydrated child, the recommended approach is about 50 mL of rehydration solution per kilogram of body weight over four hours. That means a 10-kilogram (22-pound) toddler needs roughly 500 mL (about 2 cups) over four hours, given in small, frequent sips. If moderate dehydration is suspected, that doubles to 100 mL per kilogram, but at that point you should be working with a doctor.
For adults, there’s more margin. Most healthy adults can manage mild vomiting at home by sipping fluids and resting. The bigger concern is when vomiting lasts more than 24 hours, when the person can’t keep any liquids down for more than 12 hours, or when it’s accompanied by high fever or severe pain.
Infants under 6 months who are vomiting repeatedly should be seen by a healthcare provider quickly. They have the least reserves and the highest risk of dangerous dehydration.