The key to treating vomiting and diarrhea at home is to avoid dehydration. Unfortunately, it is impossible to give an exact number of times of vomiting or diarrhea that will cause dehydration. It depends on the size of the child, how much they are vomiting, how much diarrhea they are having and the amount of fluids they can take and keep down.

• Signs of severe dehydration include listlessness (very weak with no energy), dry tongue and mouth that is sticky or tacky, absent or decreased tears with crying, sunken eyes, mottled skin, no urination for more than 8 to 10 hours.  Babies may have a sunken fontanel (soft spot on top of the head), cry weakly and nurse or suck on a bottle weakly or refuse to drinkl. Sometimes, in a quiet, healthy baby, the fontanel does appear slightly sunken, especially if the baby is in an upright position. If any of these symptoms of severe dehydration are occurring, the doctor should be contacted immediately.

• Signs of mild dehydration may include dry lips with a moist mouth inside, fussy behavior, but the child should be able to interact, babble, talk or intermittently play.  There is less urine when the child does urinate and they may not be urinating as often as usual. It may be difficult to check urination when a child is having diarrhea. Children who are mildly dehydrated need to be watched closely and if they can keep fluids down, tend to do well.

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