Food poisoning

Symptoms of food poisoning include: feeling sick or being sick diarrhoea tummy pain a high temperature feeling generally unwell The symptoms usually start within a few hours or a few days of eating food that caused the infection. Sometimes symptoms do not start for a few weeks.

If you or your child have food poisoning, you can usually treat it at home. The symptoms usually get better within a week. Diarrhoea and vomiting can usually be treated at home. The most important thing is to have lots of fluids to avoid dehydration. Do stay at home and get plenty of rest drink lots of fluids, such as water or squash – take small sips if you feel sick carry on breast or bottle feeding your baby – if they're being sick, try giving small feeds more often than usual give babies on formula or solid foods small sips of water between feeds eat when you feel able to – it may help to avoid foods that are fatty or spicy take paracetamol if you're in discomfort – check the leaflet before giving it to your child Don’t do not have fruit juice or fizzy drinks – they can make diarrhoea worse do not make baby formula weaker – use it at its usual strength do not give children under 12 medicine to stop diarrhoea do not give aspirin to children under 16

Speak to a pharmacist if: you or your child (over 5 years) have signs of dehydration , such as dark, smelly pee or peeing less than usual you're an older person, have a weakened immune system, or have other health conditions that increase your risk of dehydration you need to stop diarrhoea for a few hours They may recommend: oral rehydration powder that you mix with water to make a drink medicine to stop diarrhoea for a few hours, like loperamide (not suitable for children under 12) Find a pharmacy

Food poisoning is caused by eating something that has been contaminated with germs. This can happen if food is: not cooked or reheated thoroughly not stored correctly – for example, it's not been frozen or chilled left out for too long handled by someone who's ill or has not washed their hands eaten after its "use by" date Any type of food can cause food poisoning. Infections that cause food poisoning Food poisoning is usually caused by: campylobacter bacteria – the most common cause of food poisoning in the UK salmonella bacteria E. coli bacteria norovirus (vomiting bug)

Find out more about food hygiene at home from the Food Standards Agency on the GOV.UK website