Fever and vomiting: what to know

Gastroenteritis and food poisoning can inflame the digestive tract and produce fever, nausea, vomiting, cramps, or diarrhoea. Rotavirus infection is another possibility, particularly in young children. Vomiting with a severe headache may occur with migraine, while strong upper-abdominal pain can point to gallstones or pancreatitis.

Meningitis is uncommon but serious: fever with a stiff neck, severe headache, light sensitivity, confusion, or a new rash needs emergency attention. Vomiting alone cannot identify its cause, so the pattern and the person’s age and health matter.

Take small, frequent sips of water or an oral rehydration drink. If vomiting settles, try plain foods in modest portions and avoid alcohol or heavy meals. Rest, check the temperature, and record urine output and the timing of episodes. Do not give anti-vomiting or fever medicines to a child unless a suitable product and dose have been confirmed by a healthcare professional.

Get urgent help for blood or green vomit, severe or localised abdominal pain, a swollen abdomen, fainting, confusion, a stiff neck, breathing difficulty, or a rash that does not fade with pressure. Seek prompt advice when fluids cannot stay down, urine becomes very dark or infrequent, the mouth is dry, or the person is unusually drowsy. Babies, older adults, and people with significant medical conditions can become dehydrated quickly.

Ask whether the symptoms fit gastroenteritis or another cause, how to replace fluids, which medicines are safe, and when testing or an examination is needed.