Why does acetone appear?
A child's body uses energy faster than an adult, and glycogen reserves in the liver are small. If a child has not eaten for a long time, has been ill, has suffered stress, or has received too much fatty food, glucose is no longer enough and fats are used. When they decompose, ketone bodies are formed: acetone, acetoacetic and beta-hydroxybutyric acids. They are excreted in urine and exhaled air, giving rise to a characteristic odor. As ketones accumulate, they irritate the gastric mucosa and vomiting center, and vomiting begins, aggravating the lack of glucose.
- Low glycogen reserves in children
- Long breaks between meals
- Infection with fever
- Excess fatty foods
- Stress, overwork, overexcitement
- Vicious circle: vomiting increases ketosis
Symptoms of an attack
The episode often begins with warning signs: the child becomes lethargic or moody, complains of a headache, refuses to eat, nausea and abdominal pain appear. Then repeated vomiting occurs, sometimes every 10–15 minutes. There is a fruity odor from the mouth and urine. The skin is pale, with blush on the cheeks, lips are dry. The temperature is low. The attack usually lasts from one to several days and ends quickly as soon as glucose and fluid are replenished.
- Lethargy, headache, refusal to eat
- Repeated vomiting
- Abdominal pain without clear localization
- Smell of acetone from the mouth
- Paleness with flushed cheeks
- Dry lips and tongue
- Low temperature
How to desolder correctly
Unlike an intestinal infection, here the child needs exactly glucose, so sweet drinks are suitable: dried fruit compote, weak sweet tea, glucose solution, alternating with saline solution to replenish salts. You need to drink in very small portions: a teaspoon every 5–10 minutes, otherwise the volume will provoke new vomiting. The drink should be at room temperature or cool. If the child refuses, the liquid is given with a syringe without a needle behind the cheek. It is helpful to measure ketones with test strips and monitor your urine output.
- Sweet drinks: compote, sweet tea, glucose solution
- Alternating with saline solution
- A teaspoon every 5–10 minutes
- Cool or room temperature
- Syringe without a needle if you refuse to drink
- Monitoring ketones with test strips
- Monitor your urination frequency
Nutrition after an attack
As soon as the vomiting has stopped, the child is offered a light carbohydrate meal: crackers, biscuits, banana, baked apple, thin porridge with water, mashed potatoes. Fatty, fried foods, meat broths, creamy and sour cream dishes are excluded for several days, because fats support ketosis. Expand the diet gradually, adding one product at a time. It is fundamentally important not to allow long breaks between meals: a child with this tendency needs regular snacks, especially against the background of illness and active games.
- Crackers, biscuits, banana, baked apple
- Liquid porridge with water and mashed potatoes
- Avoiding fatty and fried foods for several days
- Avoiding rich broths
- Gradual expansion of the diet
- Regular meals without long breaks
- Snack before bed if you are prone to seizures
When do you need a doctor and how to prevent attacks
You should consult a doctor if you have uncontrollable vomiting, lethargy, lack of urine, severe abdominal pain, and in any case, if the attack occurs for the first time: an intestinal infection, appendicitis and the onset of diabetes mellitus, which must be excluded by glucose analysis, give a similar picture. Severe dehydration requires an IV in the clinic. For prevention, diet, sufficient drinking, limiting fatty foods, avoiding overwork and overstimulation, as well as early consumption of sweets at the first signs of illness are important.
- Mandatory examination at the first episode
- Checking blood glucose to rule out diabetes
- Intravenous rehydration for severe dehydration
- Regular meals and snacks
- Limiting fatty foods
- Drinking enough in the heat and when sick
- Avoiding overwork and stress
- Early watering at the first signs