FIRST AID TO FOOD POISONING

Yesterday I talked about food poisoning. Today we would be learning the A B C’s of first aid treatment of food poisoning. Food poisoning causes dehydration (during the process of vomiting and stooling you lose electrolyte, water and some other nutrients useful for the body). To avoid this, you need to know the basic steps to take to avoid weight loss and some other complications.

NOTE THAT:

Signs and symptoms of food poisoning vary with the source of contamination, and whether you're dehydrated or have low blood pressure. Generally they include:

·     Diarrhoea

·         Nausea

·         Abdominal pain

·         Vomiting (sometimes)

·         Dehydration (sometimes)

·         With significant dehydration, you might feel:

·         Lightheaded or faint, especially on standing

·         A rapid heartbeat

Antibiotics are usually not necessary or helpful for most cases of food poisoning, although for some severe infections, like shigellosis (a Shigella infection), and food poisoning caused by parasites, treatment is necessary. See your paediatrician if you think that your child has food poisoning, especially if he has bloody diarrhoea, high fever, signs of dehydration, or if he isn't quickly getting better on his own.

Treatment Regimen:

Fluid replacement is the treatment for dehydration.

Like vomiting and diarrhoea from a stomach virus, food poisoning treatments are usually aimed at preventing dehydration. As a first aider you should have this in mind. Remember you are not a doctor and PLEASE if there is no improvement after 24 hours of first aid treatment, CONSULT A PHYSICIAN. To prevent dehydration, you need to control Nausea and vomiting.

1. Control Nausea and Vomiting:

This is the most important step to take. To control Nausea and Vomiting, make a solution of SALT and WATER known as ORT (Oral rehydration therapy). In case you don’t have the ready to make Oral Rehydration Salt, you can easily make one yourself.

A basic oral rehydration therapy solution is composed of salt, sugar, and water in solution, made using a standard ratio. For example,

30 ml sugar: 2.5 ml salt: 1 litre water

6 tsp. sugar: 0.5 tsp. salt: 1 litre water

2 tbl.sugar: 0.5 tsp. salt : 1 quart water

Avoid solid foods until vomiting ends. Then eat light, bland foods, such as saltine crackers, bananas, rice, or bread.

Sipping soda may help prevent vomiting.

Don’t eat fried, greasy, spicy, or sweet foods.

Don’t take anti-nausea or anti-diarrhoea medication without asking your doctor. They may make some kinds of diarrhoea worse. Your doctor may give you anti-nausea medication if you are at risk of being dehydrated.

2. Prevent Dehydration

Drink clear fluids, starting with small sips and gradually drinking more.

If vomiting and diarrhoea last more than 24 hours, drink an oral rehydration solution.

3. When to Call a Doctor

Note:

Foodborne illness often improves on its own within 48 hours. Call your doctor if you feel ill for longer than two or three days or if blood appears in your stools.

Please take note that the use anti-diarrheal medications may slow elimination of bacteria from your system.