Children & Food Poisoning

Posted in Our Blog on July 29, 2024

Being a parent is hard work, we all know this to be true. It is especially hard when dealing with children & food poisoning. Adults can handle many medical issues a lot easier than children, especially those who are very young and can’t express themselves to explain what is truly going on.

Food poisoning for those who don’t know is essentially bacteria, virus’ or germs that find their way into foods or liquids that we ingest. Obviously we can’t see them unless using a microscope and we can’t taste them either. When these enter our systems often toxins are released causing diarrhea and vomiting. According to KidsHealth.org doctors use “food poisoning” to describe an illness that comes on quickly after eating contaminated food. People often get diarrhea or start throwing up within a few hours after being infected. The good news is, food poisoning usually goes away quickly too. Most people recover in a couple of days with no lasting problems. In a few cases, severe food poisoning can mean a visit to the doctor or hospital. When people need medical treatment for food poisoning, it’s often because of dehydration. Getting dehydrated is the most common serious complication of food poisoning.

WebMD says that while adults and children are both susceptible to food poisoning children under the age of 5 have a higher chance simply because their immune systems are not as good at fighting off things like a health adult. They also note that children do not have

Unfortunately not being able to see or taste these germs makes things complicated but safe food handling is so important to avoid this dreaded illness. Often, people get food poisoning from animal-based foods — like meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products, and seafood. But unwashed fruits, vegetables, and other raw foods also can be contaminated and make people sick. Even water can cause food poisoning. Typically, you’ll see symptoms anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 days after you eat tainted food.

How to Prevent Food Poisoning

• Teach everyone in your family to wash their hands well and often, especially after using the bathroom, before touching food, and after touching raw food. Use soap and warm water and scrub for at least 15 seconds.
• Clean all utensils, cutting boards, and surfaces that you use to prepare food with hot, soapy water.
• Don’t serve unpasteurized milk or food that contains unpasteurized milk.
• Wash all raw vegetables and fruits that you can’t peel yourself.
• Keep raw foods (especially meat, poultry, and seafood) away from other foods until they’re cooked.
• Use perishable food or any food with an expiration date as soon as possible.
• Cook all food from animal sources to a safe internal temperature. For ground beef and pork, this means at least 160°F (71°C). For solid cuts of meat, the safe temperature is 145°F (63°C). For chicken and turkey (ground and whole), it’s at least 165°F (74°C). Cook chicken eggs until the yolk is firm. Fish generally is safe to eat once it reaches a temperature of 145°F (63°C).
• Refrigerate leftovers quickly, preferably in containers with lids that snap tightly shut.
• Defrost foods in the refrigerator, a microwave, or cold water. Food should never be thawed at room temperature.
• If food is past its expiration date, tastes funny, or smells strange, throw it out.
• If you’re pregnant, avoid all raw or undercooked meat or seafood, smoked seafood, raw eggs and products that might contain raw eggs, soft cheeses, unpasteurized milk and juice, patés, prepared salads, luncheon meats, and hot dogs.
• Don’t drink water from streams or untreated wells.

Food Poisoning Treatment for Children

In most cases, your child will get better without treatment, but it’s always a good idea to call your pediatrician if your child has symptoms of food poisoning so that you can be reassured you know what to watch out for.

If your child can’t hold fluids down without throwing up or is showing signs of dehydration, you may need to take them to the hospital to get an IV and treatment to stop the vomiting. This helps replace the fluids he’s lost and restores the balance of electrolytes. For severe food poisoning caused by certain bacteria, such as listeria, your child may get antibiotics. Cultures may be taken and sent to the lab to determine the treatment course. But for most bacteria, your child won’t get any medication unless they have a weak immune system. Your child may also get medicine for food poisoning caused by parasites, but for viruses, there’s nothing to take.

Most kids get fully back to normal within 1 to 5 days, but check with your doctor before sending your child back to school or daycare. If your child still has diarrhea, they could still be contagious. Even when you get your doctor’s go-ahead, keep in mind that your child may still have some diarrhea or loose poop. For babies, you’ll want to make sure their diapers can handle it, and for older kids, they may need to be able to get to the bathroom in a hurry.

It is highly important if you suspect food poisoning in your home to inform the local health department. They can follow proper protocol and notify important organizations such as the CDC if needed. They can advise the steps that need to be taken, especially if a doctors office has been contacted and if samples of stool have been taken for further analysis.

If you have gotten food poisoning, a food poisoning lawyer can help. An experienced food poisoning lawyer, like The Lange Law Firm, PLLC helps hold those responsible for foodborne illness accountable. Call (833) 330-3663 for a free consultation or click here to email.

By: Samantha Cooper