One in ten of us suffers from food poisoning each year, and that figure seems to be on the increase in the UK. While symptoms are often short-lived, young children can be hit hard as their immune systems are not mature enough to deal with the culprits, and dehydration occurs more quickly. Food poisoning can occur at any time of the year, but is more likely when the temperature is warm, providing ideal conditions for bacteria to flourish.
Foods that support bacteria and are linked to most cases of food poisoning include meat, dairy and egg products or shellfish. It is important that foods in these groups should be carefully cooked at a high temperature or, in the case of milk and egg products, pasteurised. Symptoms can mimic most gastro-intestinal disorders. Look out for headaches, diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, stomach cramps and a temperature, any of which can occur up to a week after the problem food has been eaten.
The most common bacteria implicated in food poisoning include:
- Campylobacter: found in raw poultry and meat, unpasteurised milk and untreated water. Pets with diarrhoea can be a source. Symptoms normally take two to five days to appear, but can take as long as ten days, and return over a number of weeks.
- Salmonella: found in raw meat, poultry and eggs, raw unwashed vegetables, unpasteurised milk and dairy products and many other types of food. Symptoms normally appear 12 to 48 hours after ingestion, and can last up to three weeks. The illness can be fatal.
- E.coli has been found in raw and undercooked meats, unpasteurised milk and dairy products, raw vegetables and unpasteurised apple juice. Symptoms normally take about two days to develop but may start within a day. Infection can be severe in very young children and can lead to kidney failure.
- Staphylococcus Aureus: found on the skin, in infected cuts and boils and in the nose, as well as unpasteurised milk. Symptoms normally come on after two to six hours and are severe, although they last no longer than two days.
Norwalk-like viruses, which cause gastroentiritis, are the most common food-borne viral infection and are easily spread from person to person, by projectile vomiting, or through water, particularly in a close environment such as a nursery.
The only sure way that food poisoning can be diagnosed is by stool-sample analysis. In most cases symptoms resolve quickly. However, vomiting or diarrhoea that continues for longer than a day should be reported to a child's GP.
Nurseries and carers can prevent food poisoning through high standards of personal hygiene (washing hands thoroughly with soap and hot water after using the toilet, or handling soiled clothing or bedding - and before handling food); ensuring that anyone with diarrhoea stays away for at least 48 hours after symptoms cease; ensuring that food is cooked thoroughly (temperatures over 70'C), avoiding ready-made foods, and keeping raw and cooked foods separate.
Treatment is initially starvation and fluid replacement. Starvation should be for 24 hours at first. Fresh clean water should be offered. If symptoms last more than 24 hours, a fluid replacement solution should be offered in small sips, or frozen as ice lollies. Babies may be offered full-strength or half-strength milk.
If the vomiting has not stopped after 24 hours, continue starvation for a further 24 hours. When feeding is restarted, it is wise to begin with a small slice of dry toast (no butter), moving on to plain boiled white rice and ripe bananas (which can help to restore the healthy bacteria in the gut).
RESOURCES
- Details of microbes that cause food poisoning, and a full list of symptoms and preventive measures can be found on the Food Standards Agency site www.food.gov.uk.
- Make your own fluid replacement with a pint of clean boiled water, 1 tbsp of sugar and one or two pinches of salt. Flavour with lemon-barley juice or blackcurrant if necessary.
- Continue to teach the importance of hygiene to children. Good books include: Washing, by Gwyneth Swain (Zero to Ten; £5.99), and Germs are Not for Sharing, by Elizabeth Verdick (Free Spirit Publishing; £4).
- Weak, cool chamomile tea can help soothe the digestive tract. Peter Rabbit (Beatrix Potter) could inspire children to try it.
- If you have an outbreak in your nursery, contact your local council, who will appoint an environmental health officer to investigate. For more information, contact The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health at www.cieh.org.
