Food-borne illness: First aid

All foods naturally contain small amounts of bacteria. But poor handling of food, improper cooking or inadequate storage can result in bacteria multiplying in large enough numbers to cause illness.

Parasites, viruses, toxins and chemicals also can contaminate food. Food-borne illness from these sources, however, is less common than food-borne illness caused by bacteria.

Signs and symptoms of food poisoning vary with the source of contamination. Generally diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain and, sometimes, vomiting occur within hours after eating contaminated food.

Whether you become ill after eating contaminated food depends on the organism, the amount of exposure, your age and your health. High-risk groups include:

• Older adults. As you get older, your immune system may not respond as quickly and as effectively to infectious organisms as when you were younger.
• Infants and young children. Their immune systems haven't fully developed.
• People with chronic diseases. Having a chronic condition, such as diabetes or AIDS, or receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer reduces your immune response.

If you develop food poisoning:

• Rest and drink plenty of liquids
• Don't use anti-diarrheal medications because they may slow elimination of bacteria from your system

Food-borne 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.

Dial 911 or call for emergency medical assistance if:

• You have severe symptoms, such as watery diarrhea that turns very bloody within 24 hours.
• You belong to a high-risk group.
• You suspect botulism poisoning. Botulism is a potentially fatal food poisoning that results from the ingestion of a toxin formed by certain spores in food. Botulism toxin is most often found in home-canned foods, especially green beans and tomatoes. Signs and symptoms usually begin 12 to 36 hours after eating the contaminated food and may include headache, blurred vision, muscle weakness and eventual paralysis. Some people also have nausea and vomiting, constipation, urinary retention, difficulty breathing and dry mouth. These signs and symptoms require immediate medical attention.

Sometimes the best medicine is a parent's loving care.

"When your child is truly ill and needs the attention only you can provide, then it's important to stay home — even if that means missing an important presentation or meeting," says Robin Molella, M.D., a prevention specialist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

Remind yourself that it's OK to spend time with your sick child. Ask a colleague to cover for you if anything urgent arises. Delegate any essential tasks. Check phone messages and e-mails from home. Offer to trade shifts with a co-worker.

When neither you nor your partner can take a day off — or your child isn't sick enough to need you at home — recruiting help might be an option. Before your child gets sick, ask close contacts if they could help out in a pinch.

Grandparents or other relatives who live nearby might be an ideal choice for backup child care. Perhaps a close friend or trusted neighbor would be willing to take care of your child on short notice. You might even be able to trade services with nearby parents — you'll watch their kids at some point if they can take care of yours.

Make a list of people you can turn to as temporary caregivers, including their phone numbers. Keep the list in a designated area so that it's ready when you need it.

Present possible sick-day solutions to your employer ahead of time. Perhaps you can arrange to work from home when needed with a company laptop or home computer. Offer to work extra hours during evenings and weekends. Maybe flex time — when you work varied or staggered hours — would be an option.

Your union contract or employee benefits package might include policies on caring for sick children. In the United States, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires employers to grant leave so that employees can care for sick family members. The mandated time off is unpaid, however, and you must meet certain conditions to be covered.

If your company lacks a policy on sick-child care, perhaps no one has asked for it. Once you bring the issue to light, work with your employer to create a solution.