When your little one consumes food or water that has been contaminated with disease-causing bacteria or viruses, food poisoning happens. As a parent or guardian, it’s normal to feel worried or even scared for your child—most especially if you are unfamiliar with handling the situation.
The good news is that you can equip yourself with the necessary knowledge to address this medical situation properly. On the other hand, your best bet would be to immediately head to a reputable pediatric walk-in clinic to ensure your little one’s safety.
If you are interested in learning more about dealing with food poisoning in babies and toddlers, feel free to use this as your guide. Read the information below to get started.
What are the symptoms of food poisoning?
Food poisoning in babies and toddlers likely appears between 2 – 48 hours after consuming contaminated food or drink. These symptoms usually last for about 1 – 2 days. However, in more severe cases, they can persist for as long as one week, or even longer.
To identify if your child experiences food poisoning, some symptoms that you should look out for are abdominal cramping, achiness, chills, diarrhea, fever, headache, nausea, and vomiting. For more severe cases of food poisoning, your baby or toddler can suffer from vomiting for more than three days, dehydration, abdominal pain, severe headache, or bleeding in their stool or vomit.
How do I alleviate the symptoms of my child?
Part of the symptoms of food poisoning are diarrhea and vomiting—which means that your child is losing fluids in their body. To make your little one more comfortable, keep them hydrated by giving them milk or water.
You may use a syringe or a baby bottle so that they can have an easier time drinking. Some drinks that you should avoid offering to your child are sweetened drinks, such as juices, sports drinks, and sodas.
Should I go to the doctor?
As soon as you suspect that your baby or toddler might have food poisoning, it is always in your best interest to go see a doctor. However, should you be unable to go to the hospital, then you may seek help from clinics that specialize in offering urgent care for children.
Make sure to discuss the symptoms of your child in detail. This will help the medical professionals determine whether your little one needs emergency treatment or if they can stay at home while you monitor their symptoms and condition.
What are the common treatments for food poisoning?
One of the most pressing concerns for food poisoning is dehydration. When your child experiences severe dehydration, the doctor may suggest having your baby or toddler admitted to the hospital.
Your doctor may also prescribe your child an oral pediatric electrolyte solution. This will help replenish the lost electrolytes and fluids, such as salts and minerals, in your child’s body.
Conclusion
Your child’s health and safety are important, which is why you have to make sure that the foods and beverages they consume are safe at all times. If they experience food poisoning, however, then head to a hospital or an emergency clinic right away to avoid further complications.
Turn to us when you are looking for an emergency clinic for kids in Brantford. We are composed of licensed pediatric specialists that are more than capable of providing your child with top-quality healthcare. Contact us to learn more about our medical services!