Vomiting for attention!

[sunnydays]

I have a 19 month old who has always been a bit challenging...she is very determined and in the beginning she was hard to get onto a good nap schedule, but for the past couple of months she has slept really really well with no fuss. Today she woke up after 45 minutes and started crying (she does sometimes do this and I leave her and she goes back to sleep), but instead of going back to sleep she threw up in her bed. I called her parents, thinking she was sick and they came to get her. However, her mom told me that for the past few days the child has been vomiting when she doesn't get her way about things. I am nervoud about tomorrow's naptime as with all of the commotion she woke everyone else up as well and I had very little break. Any suggestions on how to deal with this problem???

[playfelt]

No ideas just my grossed out condolences,lol. If it is any consolation I have heard of children that do this. More so when it is meal time and also in older children who have some control over what they are doing. This one is a bit young to be gagging herself on purpose so it might just be happenning since she eats just before nap and then lays down so it is easier to do. When she wakes can you just get her up and put her in a highchair. At least you will still get a bit of a break. The idea being not letting her make a mess you have to clean up but not letting her get up to play or eat either.

[sunnydays]

I think if I let her get up, that is giving her what she wants and then she is tired and grumpy because she hasn't had a proper nap. My plan is to go up, change the sheets and clothing and put her back to bed, but we'll see how it goes. Her mom says she does stick her fingers down her throat. I have known a one year old who did this too :(

[Spixie33]

Oh my gosh! I have never heard of anything like this. This would do me in ! lol I hope your plan works - it sounds like your idea is probably your best shot

[playfelt]

Mostly I have heard of older kids doing it who have mastered the concept that if I get sick I get to go home or if I get sick mom fawns over me so it is a great way to get attention. Not used to it in a child this young. you might try sleeping with no clothes and no blankets if she messes them. She might not like it. No sense rewarding negative behaviour or making more laundry.

[mom-in-alberta]

Wow.... that is a really young age to begin to manipulate people around you in that way!! :ohmy:
I suppose giving it no attention other than the necessary clean-up would be how I approach it. I agree that taking her out of naptime is too much like giving her what she wants. When she makes herself sick like that and still does not get to come out and play, hopefully she learns that it is not worth it.
What is surprising to me is how she learned that it is even possible to do that!!

[waterloo day mom]

Make her help clean it up! Even if it's hand over hand, she'll get the idea just how gross it is and will hopefully stop. And whatever you do, don't reward that behavior by taking her out of the crib! She did it on purpose, IMHO she can sit in it.

[Judy Trickett]

I wouldn't care for a kid who did this. There are certain things you can NOT control with kids and that is what goes in and what comes out. If I can not curb the behaviour then I won't care for the kid.

My kids here behave because they know that I am in control and they trust that I will meet their needs and take care of them. A kid who vomits on cue is the one in control. That won't work for me.

[Skysue]

Hi I had this with my 12 month old when she started in my care, she sounds sick to me! My little one ended up having a reaction to the medication she was on? Is she sick and they are not telling you? How long after meals do you put her to bed? If she goes down well after her lunch them try no milk with lunch she could have a lactos problem?

[mamaof4]

have you thought of using the bitter nail stuff that parents use to stop nail biting or thumb sucking?