Nursery World - Child health: food poisoning

As food poisoning afflicts more and more people, Karen Sullivan looks at how to avoid and manage it.

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.

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