St John Ambulance, the nation’s leading first aid charity has teamed up with All About Family to bring you some simple, but life saving, first aid tips on dealing with food poisoning and swallowed poisons.
Food poisoning is caused by eating contaminated food. In most cases the food hasn’t been cooked properly and is contaminated by bacteria such as salmonella or Escherichia coli (E. coli), which are found mainly in meat. Someone may feel the effects of food poisoning within a few hours, however, in some cases it can take up to three days.
The effects of food poisoning can make someone feel extremely ill. The most important thing is to keep encouraging the person to drink water so they don’t get dehydrated.
If you think someone may have food poisoning, these are the symptoms to look for:
• Feeling sick or vomiting, sometimes bloodstained
• Stomach cramps
• Diarrhoea
• Headache or fever
Follow these steps to help:
• Tell the person to lie down and rest. Give them plenty of water and a bowl to use in case they are sick.
• Encourage them to drink as much water as they can, even if they can only manage regular small sips. If they have diarrhoea, it’s even more important that they drink water to replace lost fluids.
• Giving them an oral rehydration solution is good to way to replace fluids lost through diarrhoea and vomiting. This solution can replace salt and other minerals which they have lost. You can buy it in a pharmacy as a sachet which you dissolve in water.
• If the person gets worse, call their doctor or call 999 or 112 for emergency medical help.
Chemicals that are swallowed may harm the digestive tract or can cause more widespread damage if they enter the bloodstream and are transported to other parts of the body.
Hazardous chemicals include common household substances, for example, bleach, dishwasher detergent and paint stripper. Drugs, whether prescribed or bought over the counter, are also potentially harmful if they are taken in overdose. The effects of poisoning depend on the substance that has been swallowed.
Depending on the substance swallowed, the casualty may show these signs:
• Vomiting, sometimes bloodstained
• Impaired consciousness
• Pain or a burning sensation, cramping abdominal paid
Follow these simple steps to help:
• If the casualty is conscious, ask what they have swallowed and, if possible, how much and when. Look for clues, for example, poisonous plants, berries or empty containers. Try to reassure the casualty
• Never try to induce vomiting
• Call 999/112 for emergency help. Give as much information as possible about the poison. This will help the medical team to treat the casualty
• Monitor and record vital signs while waiting for help to arrive. Keep samples of any vomited material. Give these samples, containers and any other clues to the paramedics.
For those looking for quick, easily accessible first aid information, the St John Ambulance app is available free on smartphones and the website (www.sja.org.uk) offers demo videos, an interactive game, and lots of free advice. For more information about first aid courses please call 0844 770 4800