For some children, a fear of vomiting doesn't just make them feel anxious — it makes them stop eating altogether. A 2017 case report by Dosanjh, Fleisher, and Sam describes exactly this: an eight-year-old boy who developed such an intense fear of vomiting that he began restricting what he ate, lost weight, and stopped eating in public.
This condition — emetophobia — is more common than most people realise. It's not just 'hating being sick.' For those who have it, the fear can dominate daily life: avoiding restaurants, skipping social events, refusing whole categories of food, or spending hours each day checking how they feel for any sign of nausea.
Over ten therapy sessions, this boy worked through exposure therapy and CBT — gradually facing feared foods and situations, one small step at a time, with his parents actively involved throughout. By the end of treatment, he was eating a varied diet, reporting less nausea, and comfortable eating in public. A follow-up three weeks later showed those gains had held.
This case is a reminder that emetophobia responds well to treatment — even in young children — when the approach is gradual, structured, and tailored to the person. You don't have to live in fear of feeling sick, and neither does your child.
If emetophobia is affecting your life or your child's, a psychologist who specialises in anxiety can help you work through it.