Vomit... Everywhere but the Toilet!

My son has this cry thing he does and then hes got about 20-30 mins before he will actually get sick. For the most part, he does make it to the bathroom but stares straight ahead and misses so I have a mess to clean up at least once everytime he does hit. I screamed at him the last time he was sick because he was going upstairs to the bathroom instead of using the one downstairs which was right around the corner and puked down the steps. Hes doing better since then but cries hysterically because he thinks I am going to scream again.

My son is in a bunk bed now and I worry what will happen if he gets sick there. So far, we've had him sleep in a different bed if he's feeling sick at all. I will put a bath towel and a bowl in bed with him, an extra trash can beside the bed, and then line the path to the door with an old sheet. I don't think he's ever made it to the toilet, at least the sink is better than the floor. I'd rather go overboard with all the "just in case" things than have to yell at him when he's feeling bad.

Maybe you could find an old bowl with a handle and teach him to carry it with him when he comes to get you. Add glow in the dark paint if he has trouble locating it. And have him practice when he's not feeling sick- you're in bed, you feel sick, you have 20 seconds- what do you do?

what the heck are they eating that makes them so sick? Nip it in the bud before it gets worse.

Ugh that is just nasty. Can you give them tums when they get home from dad? To help with digestion? They also need to learn now where to throw up, and keep a bucket next to their beds.. they are old enough now to understand. If not, make them clean it themselves...

I had to and it was no fun, but boy the next time I was sick I gunned for the toilet.

We had buckets or large bowls growing up that we kept near the bed and held on the way to the bath room. I suggest sleeping in his room that first night back for a month or so. That way when he wakes up and feels sick he can tell someone right away and you can cue him in on what he is suppose to do. The next return home I wouldnt say anything but just show him what to do. Hand him the bowl positioned at his belly to catch emergency sickness then walk him to the bathroom and position him infront of the potty. After its all done tell him thats how you do it. My husband and his family all barf in the trash can and it totally grosses me out. They dont want toliet water to splash them in there face. Which only means I get to carrry out barf trash :( Hope he gets the hang of where to barf. BTW when I was VERY little my dad yelled at me in the middle of the night because i barfed from my room to the bath room leaving a trail for him to clean. Let your son know if he doesnt make it to the pot to stay in one spot ;)

Be sure to talk to him when he's not sick about what he should be doing.
When you don't feel well - head immediately to the bathroom - either tub or toilet is fine.
Stay there till you feel better or have up-chucked everything till there's nothing left (dry heaves).
Clean up bathroom and yourself (brush teeth, shower, change pajamas, etc).
Then come tell us about it or go back to bed.

If this happens every time he comes from his Dad's (and that's just weird - what the heck is he eating over there and how much?), then first night back he must sleep in the bathroom (sleeping bag on the floor or in the tub).
If he's gorging himself, it's kind of a strange binge and purge cycle he's got going and that can be a big problem.

UGH, he is old enough to manage to get to the bathroom or at least know when it is about to come up and run.

This sounds like he is purposely doing this for attention. Any attention is attention, right....

When my daughter was very young and didn't realize what was happening, we had the issues but not since she was a toddler.

I also have a designated "vomit bowl" that is kept at her bedside when she is not feeling well and/or sick. Even though she is close to her bethroom which is a part of her room, I do understand that sometimes accidents can happen.

Everytime like your 11yr old... not accidents in my mind. Maybe start making him clean it up.

Some cant make it to the bathroom due to feeling SO terrible, been there done that. If you know there's a possibility of nausea coming on, provide a barf bowl right by the bed. A small trash can will do the trick. A stitch in time saves 9.

My son tries for the toilet but usually it hits around the toilet area...so he know where, just getting it there is not always 100%. He just turned seven...so he gets some slack.

When my kids are sick I get a huge bowl and line it with paper towels and leave it next to them on the bed. So, if it hits them as they are waking up they can use the bowl. Other mom's I know use a trash can next to the bed.

So next time he gets home leave a bowl or trash can on or next to his bed. That way he has a chance of making it easier for you.

My daughter usually gets around the toilet, so not straight in the toilet.

He may have not been able to make it to the bathroom when he did it in bed. I know my oldest has done that before. And as for him coming and telling you it's good for you to know. But he did learn from an early age to make it to the bathroom. I was so sick when I was PG with his brother. At three he figured out he was supposed to throw up in the toilet. My yongest on the other had has a harder time with that. When I know they don't feel good I try to put somethiing in bed with them that they know they can puke in. If he does this a lot when he goes to his dads get a container that you put by his bed and tell him if you have to use this.

Good luck and God Bless!!!

My youngest from about the time he started walking could get to the toilet there was only one time where it came on so suddenly that he could not make it but when he does get sick he yells for me he is very needy when he doesn't feel well. My oldest has gotten sick during the night and he's such a deep sleeper that it didn't even wake him up but if he's up he goes in the bathroom and you don't even know unless you hear him get up. He's always been veryindependent. I would suggest since you know he s most likely going to get sick when he comes home have a bucket ready in his room so that he can get you guys but won't be vomiting all over the place.

I have EXTREMELY opposite kids.

My daughter [8 yrs old] thrives on chaos.

My son [3yrs old] thrives on organization and schedules.

I can't say anything about the vomitting thing. My son still doesn't know the proper place yet... And he's only gotten sick a handful of times. My daughter usually throws up [the first time] on her bedding, but she's upstairs and the bathroom is on the main floor. However, if she does get sick once, she has the trashcan next to her... And she'll make it in that if need be.

My daughter is my "stomach bug" kid. My son has an iron gut. He's my common cold or sinus infection kid. My daughter didn't have to have ANY antibiotic until she was almost 7, but pukes anytime she has allergies w/sinus drainage and had rotovirus @ only 17/18mos old. My son was on an antibiotic for an infection before his 2nd bday, but only puked twice so far.

They're polor-opposites as far as personality is concerned too. My son wants to do everything himself. My daughter wants everything done for her. He's laid back. She's ADHD. As newborns, my daughter didn't want to sleep... EVER and wanted constant stimulation. He slept great and was more than fine playing on the floor alone with a rattle. As toddlers, she was EASY. If someone told her, "Please don't do that/touch that, you could get hurt." She didn't and never attempted again. Him? OH BOY! It's the, "Let's see if it really does hurt me" challenge. Or, "How far can I really go with this..." She whines about everything. He just yells and gets mad.

We shall see in the next chapter of life. ☺

If he has to clean it up, bet he'll learn to make it - the daughter does it already!

yuck!! sounds like it's time to have a chat with the dad to say - this is happening frequently - can you please reign him in on the eating?

As to why he can't make it there? I'm not sure. Some kids/people think they have time before the eject button is REALLY pressed and are wrong...as your 11 year old step son is...while it stinks - I would make him clean it up too...especially since it's from his own over-indulgence instead of being sick...

I know it's bad cleaning up vomit...I usually put a bandana over my face so I look like a cowboy from the 1800's and clean up - thank God I've not had to do it but a few times!!!

I would be concerned about the girl being able to vomit quietly...I know I'm probably reading more into it - but vomiting quietly is the starting of a bulimic....but like I said - I'm probably reading too much into it since she tells you she threw up.

How about putting a bigger trash can next to his bed the next time he comes home from Dad's house so that he doesn't have to travel anywhere?

I think some kids just want/need more attention when they are sick. My daughter never complains and I don't usually know when she is not feeling good, unless she tells me. Now my step daughter (my daughter’s half sister) is a complete drama queen when she is sick. She whines, cries and moans with every little thing.
Have your wife talk to the dad and ask what he is eating. Let him know that his son is getting sick when returning. I would wonder too if he is not getting good attention from his dad.
When I first met my hubby his kids would come for the weekend and he let them eat junk food all the time too. I think he did it from feeling guilty that the marriage didn’t work out. He wanted his kids to think he was a cool dad, he just did it the wrong way.

He no longer does that. I do my best to help him understand what it's like to be a kid from divorced parents, from my own experences.

I also forgot....put a bucket next to his bed. If he misses make him clean it up.

Hi J.,

I agree that the father needs to be told that this junk food binge-eating has got to stop. Maybe he should come over and clean up the mess at your house? You should also talk to your stepkids and tell them that they should not eat themselves sick even if the food is available or offered to them. They are old enough to take some responsibility for their own eating habits.
You can try to pre-empt the mess by putting a bucket next to his bed and explain that he is stay in his room and call you to come to him for help. If he really needs an adult present and you don't hear him calling, he should carry the bucket with him down the hall etc...so that he can do it in the bucket if he can't make it to the bathroom. If he still fails to do this and makes a mess, he can be the one to clean it up. This might motivate him greatly to remember to use the bucket, or to just stop overeating in the first place. Best of luck!