difference between spit up and throw up?

CHI-06

We got a call from daycare yesterday to pick up our daughter because she threw up and can't return until she is symptom free for 24 hrs.  She seemed fine to me ever since I picked her up besides her runny nose (no fever).  So I am wondering how you determine that it is throw up and not just spitting up?

carrann82

Throw up would be like an entire feedings worth of "stuff".  Spit up would be much less.

This can be quite tricky at a daycare center for sure.  I once had a kid throw up an entire bottle and had no symptoms.  We had to send him home though.  It was a fluke and he was fine the entire time he was home with mom.  I think sometimes babies gag and that can cause them to throw up.

MattsWifey<3

I think medically -  (and I am no doctor) throw up would be projectile.

mamamoos

pretty sure throwing up is actually gagging and retching (sp?).  spit up just kind of happens silently...

axh2277

For us throw up is projectile and spitting up is when he opens his mouth and it kind of runs out.  DS throws up frequently because of his reflux so we had to get a note from his GI so that he didn't get sent home from daycare daily.