Food Poisoning Care

Managing sickness and diarrhea from contaminated food

Step by Step

Most food poisoning starts with vomiting, cramps, and diarrhea within hours to days of a bad meal and settles by itself in a few days. The priority is fluids: small frequent sips of water or oral rehydration solution, more after each loose stool. Rest, eat plain foods when appetite returns, and avoid fatty, spicy, or very sweet items. Antidiarrheal medicine is not recommended for children, or for adults with fever or blood in the stool. Contact a doctor for signs of dehydration that do not improve, blood in stool, high fever, severe abdominal pain, symptoms lasting more than a few days, or illness in pregnancy, the elderly, the very young, and people with weakened immunity. Report suspected food poisoning to local health authorities so outbreaks are traced.