What should you know about bronchiolitis and vomiting?

Bronchiolitis can cause a blocked nose, coughing, faster breathing, and tiring during feeds. A forceful coughing bout may trigger retching or vomiting, and swallowed mucus can upset the stomach. Vomiting may also be a separate infection, so the pattern matters. Note whether it follows coughing, happens after every feed, contains green fluid or blood, or occurs with severe tummy pain.

The main concern is fluid loss combined with reduced intake. Dry lips or mouth, fewer wet nappies, no tears, marked sleepiness, or cold-looking hands and feet can signal dehydration. Wheezing or fever may accompany the respiratory illness; they do not explain away breathing difficulty.

Pause briefly after vomiting, then offer very small, frequent amounts of the child’s usual milk or an age-appropriate oral rehydration drink if a clinician recommends it. Keep the child upright during and after feeds, clear a blocked nose gently before feeding, and avoid forcing a large feed. Keep a simple record of fluids, vomiting episodes, wet nappies, breathing changes, and alertness.

Contact a clinician if vomiting continues, intake falls, or you are unsure which fluid is suitable. A [Child Health Consultation](/treatments/consultations-and-assessment/child-health-consultation/) can assess breathing and hydration. See [Bronchiolitis](/conditions/bronchiolitis/) and [Fever](/symptoms/fever/) for related guidance.

Seek emergency help for severe breathing effort, pauses, blue or grey lips, unusual difficulty waking, or inability to keep any fluid down. Arrange urgent assessment if the child is breathing rapidly, ribs are pulling in, has repeated vomiting, is passing much less urine, has blood or green fluid in vomit, or becomes unusually floppy. Young infants can become unwell quickly, so use a lower threshold for advice.

Ask how much and how often to offer fluids, whether the vomiting pattern fits coughing, how to recognise dehydration, whether medicine is suitable, and what breathing change should prompt immediate review.