Poisoning in children is a fairly common disease. In children it manifests itself more often than in adults, because the child’s body has not yet learned to cope well with harmful substances that provoke poisoning.

Children often do not follow hygiene rules, forget to wash their hands before eating, and may pick up something spoiled or even poisonous from the ground and swallow it.

When poisoning occurs in a child, symptoms and treatment are what primarily worries the mother. To find out for sure that it is food poisoning and not any other, you need to know the signs.

Main causes of the disease

Food poisoning is often caused by pathogenic microorganisms: E. coli, staphylococcus, salmonella, etc. Once in the food, harmful microbes begin to rapidly multiply and release toxins. If the baby eats such foods, high probability he may get poisoned.

The child's body is extremely sensitive to harmful substances. Food to which an adult may not react in any way can cause severe reaction in children. Therefore, you need to be selective in choosing foods to feed. You should be careful with dairy products (especially ice cream and cottage cheese), eggs, fish, meat, and pates. You cannot completely exclude these products from your diet, but you should carefully monitor compliance with the rules for storing and preparing food. In case of food poisoning, parents should know what the symptoms are food poisoning in children and how to treat them.

Entry of toxic substances into the body

Often, poisoning occurs due to the fact that the child may have eaten dangerous mushrooms or fruits (poisonous berries, seeds of poisonous plants), the poison of which is quickly absorbed into the blood, causing severe poisoning.

Mushroom poisoning is extremely dangerous. Moreover, in children the cause of toxicosis is often not only poisonous mushrooms(pale toadstool), but also considered quite edible. They accumulate salts heavy metals, therefore it is better not to feed them to children at all.

Improper storage of food, consumption of food after the expiration date, contamination by insects - all this can negatively affect health.

Asymptomatic period of the disease

Period from the moment of impact harmful bacteria into the body before the first signs appear can last from half an hour to several days. Most often, the manifestation of the first symptoms occurs within the first two days after eating low-quality food. The faster the reaction to harmful substances, the better. If symptoms of poisoning appeared less than an hour after eating a suspicious dish, a stomach reaction followed. If symptoms of food poisoning are observed in children after 4 hours or more, the toxins are already in the intestines.

Sometimes it happens that the baby becomes ill: he develops a mild fever, feels nauseous, develops weakness and slight aches in the joints. These are the main signs initial stage food poisoning, and if measures are not taken immediately, then literally within a few hours the baby will become worse. What to do if a child is poisoned, and what medications will help cope with this condition, we will consider in this article.

You can understand that a child has been poisoned either by the fact that the baby complains of discomfort in the tummy, or by the development of diarrhea or vomiting. In addition, the child’s body temperature rises (not higher than 37.5) and appears headache. It is worth considering the fact that acute symptoms food poisoning disappears 48 hours after the onset of its manifestation, while an infection can torment a child for about 7 days. In the latter case, in order to prevent intoxication and dehydration of the body, it is recommended to call a doctor at home.

What to do if a child is poisoned and vomits? Put the baby in bed, do not give him anything to eat for 12 hours, give him three teaspoons of water every five minutes. boiled water. With this condition, many parents make the mistake of trying to feed or give their child plenty of drink. This cannot be done, because... food entering the stomach will immediately cause an attack of severe vomiting.

What to do if a child is poisoned and has diarrhea - change the diet and introduce foods that “strengthen” the intestines. For this baby, it is recommended to feed only viscous rice porridge, without adding spices and oil, and also give him a hard-boiled egg, strong tea no sugar and a crust of yesterday's bread. Do not forget that such nutrition is introduced only if the child has diarrhea, but there is no nausea or vomiting.

You can treat a child if he has been poisoned using what pediatricians recommend - and today these are one of the few drugs that can be given to even the smallest children without consulting a doctor.

Any food poisoning, regardless of symptoms, begins to be treated with sorbents. Activated carbon is offered to toddlers at the rate of 0.05 g per 1 kg of body weight. If it is not possible to drink the whole tablet, then it is crushed to a powder and poured into the child’s mouth, offering to wash it down with water, or mixed with milk or formula.

A few hours after taking the sorbent, if the baby has diarrhea, he is offered Smecta. To do this, 1 sachet of powder is dissolved in 50 ml of boiled water. The dose of the drug per day for toddlers up to one year is 2 packets, after one year – 4 packets.

So, what to do at home if a child is poisoned - first of all, make a correct diagnosis. After which, if it is food poisoning, it is recommended to follow the simple instructions described in this article, and your little one will feel better very soon. However, do not forget that in addition to food poisoning, there are ailments caused by toxic fumes, medications, etc. In this case, immediate hospitalization of the child in a medical facility is recommended.

Food poisoning in a child can happen at any age and under many circumstances. Learn about the causes and symptoms of intoxication to provide first aid correctly.

Food poisoning (toxicoinfection)– acute toxic or infectious damage to the body that occurs after eating low-quality foods. It is characterized by a complex pathological symptoms(diarrhea, intoxication, vomiting, dehydration).

Children are poisoned more often than adults. The child’s body is not yet strong, so it can hardly resist external “aggressors” that cause intoxication. In addition, children, in the absence of adult supervision, rarely adhere to the rules of hygiene, especially at a younger age.

How to determine the presence of food poisoning in a child, how to treat it - what should be given from the funds in home medicine cabinet in order to help cope with the disease, is it necessary to feed and water a baby with a toxic infection? Let's sort it all out! In children, especially in the first two years of life, toxic infection is more severe than in adults. This is due to an imperfectly developed gastrointestinal tract. If this happens, you need to call a pediatrician at home. The reasons are poor quality food, unboiled water, poorly processed food, infected fruits and vegetables. Read more: .

Symptoms of food poisoning

The disease begins acutely. One of the first symptoms of poisoning is abdominal pain. The onset of the disease is always acute, sudden. Symptoms of poisoning appear several hours after the child eats poor quality food. When food is significantly contaminated with microbes, the first symptoms of the disease appear within the first hour after eating. And only with botulism the latent period is several days (up to 8 days). The shorter the period before the onset of poisoning, the higher the severity of the disease.

Food poisoning is especially dangerous for children younger age. If several children have consumed a poor-quality product, they may have different duration latent period and varying degrees severity of the disease.
In case of poisoning, regardless of the cause of its occurrence, the following symptoms may appear:

• lethargy, general weakness;
• pain, cramping in the abdomen ( small child tightens the legs), the localization of pain is often in the epigastric or umbilical region, sometimes all over the abdomen;
• pallor skin, in some cases, a bluish tint to the lips and nail phalanges;
• nausea and repeated vomiting, which brings relief;
• the temperature may be elevated, with chills (for foodborne infections - up to 39 ˚C), or low;
• pulse and breathing are increased;
• liquid, frequent stool: with some poisonings, the stool may be copious, watery (as in a disease caused by E. coli) or scanty, the stool may have a different color (yellow-orange - with staphylococcal infection, green type of swamp mud - with salmonellosis), an admixture of mucus and blood may appear; dry mucous membranes, thirst;
• loss of appetite;
• convulsions and disturbances of consciousness are possible.
• Vomiting and diarrhea (especially large stools) are dangerous, because they can quickly cause dehydration of the body, development renal failure. Signs of dehydration are dry mucous membranes and skin, decreased skin turgor (elasticity), decreased frequency of urination and the amount of urine.

Causes of food poisoning

The child's body has high sensitivity Therefore, parents should be careful about what food they give their child and in what form. Even the most harmless products at first glance (milk, eggs, herbs, fruits) can harm your health if storage conditions are not followed.

What are the causes of food poisoning:

• Poisonous food. Mushrooms, plants, berries of unknown origin cause intoxication of the body and can even lead to death. You need to buy such products only from a seller who vouches for quality and confirms it with the necessary certificates.
• Eating food with toxins and germs. It may be regular food, but its ingredients have been improperly processed during the cooking process.
• If you eat meat that is not fully cooked, or cottage cheese that has passed its expiration date, you can get an intestinal infection.
• Causative agents of stomach diseases and lead to sluggish, sleepy state with a list of symptoms. Intestinal infection includes salmonella, staphylococcus, and various strains. They can be in water, sour cream, cottage cheese, drinking yogurt, eggs, fruits, vegetables, meat products, fast food.
• Intoxication with aggressive chemical compounds.

First aid is very important stage. Correctly provided assistance in case of poisoning will prevent the development of severe stages. Must be done next steps: The first step is to provide the child with drinking regime, to avoid dehydration. The state of dehydration is very dangerous for the human body, especially a child.

In the first hours it is required large number water, as with vomiting and diarrhea after the release of dangerous toxic substances, go out and useful substances, which are very necessary for the body to fight infection. Immediate intake of sorbents.

Strict nutrition throughout the entire period feeling unwell. Follow the pastel regime until all symptoms subside. It is necessary to replenish fluid reserves in the body as quickly as possible. You can use the drug Regidron (rehydration salts), or make brine Houses. It is possible to use decoctions of chamomile, rose hips, and green tea. This method can only be used for children over 5 years old.

Nutrition is given special attention. Intestinal poisoning requires a certain regime that must be followed for several days (weeks) after. It is recommended to prepare soups and broths. Liquid, not heavy porridge with broth. Soufflé from low-fat varieties meat.

It is recommended to reduce the amount of carbohydrates. Treatment of food poisoning in children involves immediate initiation of treatment and removal of toxic substances from the body. If a person is poisoned, then at the first signs it is necessary to perform a gastric lavage. Rapid removal of toxins will not provoke further development of severe consequences. For young children, rinsing is performed in a hospital setting under the supervision of a doctor.

Under what conditions should you consult a doctor?

First aid at home is necessary. But consult a doctor to avoid severe symptoms, and follow up with home bed rest it's still worth it. A number of signs that indicate that a child requires immediate medical attention:

• Poisoning in a child (food poisoning) under three years of age. Children of this age, especially those who are one year old or younger, should be closely monitored by their attending physicians. Since even light form and the poisoning stage can turn into severe consequences, which will be much more difficult to cope with.
• The child does not improve within 24 hours after assistance is provided. If the baby’s well-being has not improved, it means the body is not able to fight on its own. Often symptoms arise from other factors.
• The child refuses to drink. If there is excessive vomiting or the child refuses to drink, this most often occurs in children one year of age or younger, and is a huge problem for parents. If the child does not want to drink and all attempts have not led to an active “drinking regime,” then medical attention is required.
• Signs of dehydration. If a child is poisoned, there may be no urge to urinate. If the process has occurred and the urine is dark - yellow and a sharp ammonia smell - the disease enters a severe stage. Also, the tongue and the entire oral cavity become dry.
• High temperature. At increased sweating the liquid comes out even faster. The skin and eyes have acquired a yellowish tint. Such symptoms may indicate the presence of toxins.
• Rash. Any manifestations of a rash on the child’s body must be examined by a specialist.
• Presence of blood in stool and vomit. The manifestation of such a symptom is an urgent reason to visit a doctor.
• Hallucinations, confusion of speech, decreased visual acuity. Difficulty breathing. Possible death. In such cases, urgent hospitalization is carried out for careful monitoring.
• Poisoning in children's institutions, schools. In case of mass infections, an inspection is carried out. Adults have the right to submit an application to the sanitary and epidemiological station. It is also necessary to consult a pediatrician. The doctor has special instructions. A special set of documents is filled out and subsequently transferred to the station. Afterwards, an inspection of the establishment and its employees begins.
• Familial infection. In case of familial poisoning, all family members should be examined. It is possible that all the child’s relatives will also catch the infection and no one will be able to treat him. In this case, constant monitoring by the attending physician is simply necessary.

It is important to teach your child to maintain hygiene. Unpasteurized milk, raw water, poorly cooked meat, fish - all this can lead to poisoning. Chemicals, household chemicals, medications should be kept in safe places. While walking, parents should ensure that the child does not accidentally eat poisonous mushrooms, berries and plants.

Every person can prevent any type of poisoning. It is enough to comply simple rules, instilled in everyone since childhood. It is quite simple to protect yourself and your family from such terrible and difficult to tolerate infections. Taking care of your health and the health of your loved ones is an integral part of every person’s life.

Video about poisoning in a child:

Every mother carefully considers the issue of nutrition for her child and chooses the most best products, tries to serve only freshly prepared meals. Despite this, food poisoning is not at all uncommon in young children. General weakness, abdominal pain, and especially significant loss of fluid along with feces and vomit can pose a threat to the baby’s health if not promptly measures taken. In this regard, parents should clearly understand how to act in the event of food poisoning in children and when to seek help from a doctor.

• consumption of stale products affected by pathogenic microorganisms (streptococci, staphylococci, E. coli, clostridia, salmonella) and toxic products of their vital activity;
• consumption of inedible or improperly prepared foods (poisonous mushrooms, individual species fish and shellfish) containing toxins dangerous to human life that were not neutralized during cooking;
• use plant products, processed to combat pests and poisonous plant diseases chemicals(for example, pesticides).

Most often, such poisonings in children occur in the summer. Food left without refrigeration spoils very quickly in the heat, since the rate of bacterial growth increases significantly when high temperature air. In addition, in the summer, children's favorite fruits and berries appear, which are often treated with various chemicals to give them a beautiful appearance. If the mother does not control, the child may take the fruit he likes, which is in an area of ​​easy access, and eat it, forgetting to wash it, resulting in gastrointestinal upset.

A high probability of poisoning is observed after a child consumes fish and seafood, unboiled milk and dairy products (cottage cheese, kefir, yogurt, ice cream), raw eggs, soft-boiled eggs, fried eggs, meat and sausage products, and canned food. It is dangerous to drink unboiled water, eat unwashed or insufficiently washed fresh vegetables, salad greens and fruits. You should not be allowed to buy pies, salads and other ready meals, sold by weight in stores. Confectionery(cakes, pastries with butter or protein cream) should be purchased only from trusted retail outlets.

Mushroom poisoning is especially dangerous for children, which can contain toxins even after prolonged soaking and heat treatment. Mushrooms are generally not allowed to be given to children under 5 years of age, even in small quantities as part of the filling for pies or pancakes. They are a heavy and difficult to digest product for a small organism due to insufficient enzyme production.

In addition to mushrooms, it is highly not recommended to give children canned food, sausages, ham, smoked meats, dried or salted fish, since these products may contain botulism pathogens, which produce the deadly poison botulinum toxin that affects the nervous system.

Interesting: Optimal conditions for the development and reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms in food products are temperatures from 5 to 60°C and high humidity.

Symptoms

The sensitivity of children to the action of pathogenic microorganisms and toxins is much higher than that of adults, so poisoning in them occurs more often and is more severe. How younger child, the worse he tolerates intoxication. Symptoms of food poisoning occur suddenly within 30 minutes to 48 hours after consuming the suspect food. The disease is characterized by an acute onset and causes inflammatory process and irritation of the gastrointestinal mucosa, the child experiences:

• nausea, pain, cramps and colic in the abdomen;
• diarrhea, possibly with mucus and greens in the stool;
• chills, rise in temperature (not higher than 38°C);
• general weakness, lethargy, moodiness;
• headache;
• lack of appetite.

In case of mushroom poisoning in children, convulsions are additionally present, cold sweat, decreased pulse rate, dizziness, shortness of breath, hallucinations, and if botulism pathogens (bacteria of the genus Clostridia) enter the body - fog, double vision, difficulty moving the limbs, gait disturbance, confused speech.

Food poisoning is similar to an intestinal infection, but is characterized by a more favorable course and is not contagious to others. The main differences between intestinal infections are the longer incubation period and time of illness, body temperature rising above 38°C.

When do you need a doctor?

In most cases, food poisoning in a child can be managed on our own without going to the doctor, but his consultation will still not be superfluous. However, there are a number of indications for which qualified medical care is indispensable. These include the following situations:

• the child's age is less than 3 years;
• there is a rise in temperature;
• the food eaten the day before contained mushrooms;
• functional disorders are noted nervous system(dizziness, double vision, impaired coordination of movements, swallowing, slurred speech);
• yellowing of the skin, mucous membranes and sclera is observed;
• there are blood impurities in the stool or vomit;
• vomiting is indomitable;
• I can’t get my child to drink for several hours;
• symptoms of dehydration are observed;
• poisoning occurs in several family members or children's groups;
• skin rashes appeared.

You should also call a doctor if you home treatment poisoning, no improvement in the child’s condition is observed within two days. This may indicate that there are other causes of vomiting and diarrhea.

In case of poisoning in an infant, you should call " ambulance", while waiting for her, you are only allowed to give the baby something to drink. To prevent vomit from accidentally getting into respiratory tract, put the child on his side.

First aid

In case of food poisoning, you need to start helping your child as early as possible. All measures taken should be primarily aimed at cleansing the body of toxins and preventing dehydration.

One of protective reflexes when the body is poisoned, vomiting occurs. If it does not occur spontaneously, then it is necessary to help the child empty his stomach. To do this, you should give him 1-2 glasses to drink. warm water, and then press the spoon onto the root of the tongue or stick two fingers into the mouth. The procedure is repeated several times until clean wash water appears.

It is not recommended for children under 3 years of age to perform gastric lavage at home; it is better to go to the hospital immediately. Gastric lavage begins at the first signs of poisoning, which helps prevent the spread of toxins throughout the gastrointestinal tract and their absorption into the gastrointestinal tract. systemic blood flow and significantly accelerates the improvement of the child’s condition.

Vomiting and diarrhea provoke significant fluid losses, which can become critical for a small organism and lead to the development of dehydration, causing severe violations functions internal organs(heart, brain, kidneys). Obvious symptoms dehydration is considered:

• pale skin;
• rapid breathing and heart rate;
• decline blood pressure;
• dry skin and mucous membranes;
• dry mouth;
• lack of urine for 4-6 hours or too concentrated urine.

To compensate for the fluid deficiency caused by poisoning, it is necessary to give the child water. Considering that large volumes of liquid can cause vomiting due to stomach distension, drinks are given in small portions of 5-15 ml, depending on age, every 5-10 minutes. The optimal drink in this situation would be special water-salt solutions for rehydration, which you can prepare at home yourself in the proportion of 1 tsp. salt and 1 tbsp. l. sugar per liter of water or buy ready-made mixtures for dilution with water at the pharmacy (Rehydron, BioGaya ORS, Humana Electrolyte, Reosolan, Trisol, Hydrovit, Trihydron, Re-sol).

The more fluid the child drinks after poisoning, the better it will be. The temperature of drinking solutions should be close to body temperature. If a child refuses to drink water-salt solutions, which have a rather specific taste, you can give him plain boiled or non-carbonated water. mineral water, fruit drink, weak tea, compote or any other, even not very healthy, drink that he agrees to drink. It’s better to drink at least something than nothing at all, as pediatrician E. O. Komarovsky points out. Drink plenty of fluids indicated until vomiting and frequent loose stools stop.

Important: For a child under one year old, the minimum volume of liquid recommended in case of poisoning is 200 ml per 1 kg of weight, for older children - 150 ml per 1 kg.

Medicines for poisoning

Main medicines, which can be used for food poisoning in children without a doctor’s prescription, are enterosorbents. They bind and remove toxic compounds that enter the gastrointestinal tract with spoiled food. They should be given immediately after completing the gastric lavage procedure.

Activated carbon is one of the simplest and most accessible of them. Its dosage for a child is calculated from the ratio of 1 g per 1 kg of weight. To increase the effectiveness of activated carbon, it is recommended to first crush the tablets into powder, which will increase the adsorbing surface area. A suspension is prepared from the resulting powder in boiled water and given to the child to drink. The same suspension can also be used for gastric lavage. In addition to activated carbon, you can use sorbents (smecta, enterosgel, lactofiltrum, polysorb, polyphepan).

If a child's temperature rises above 38°C, antipyretics containing paracetamol or ibuprofen in an age-appropriate dosage form are given.

Also in recovery period After poisoning, children are prescribed drugs that normalize intestinal microflora (probiotics and prebiotics) and enzymes to prevent dysbiosis and other complications. However, the need for their use is agreed with the doctor.

Warning: In case of food poisoning in children, it is unacceptable to independently prescribe antibacterial, antiemetic, painkillers and antidiarrheal drugs.

Video: First aid tips for food poisoning from pediatrician Komarovsky E. O.

Nutrition after poisoning

If symptoms of poisoning appear, you should not feed the child anything until his condition stabilizes and his appetite appears, which is one of the signs of recovery. You need to give the body time to recover, and the gastrointestinal tract the opportunity to rest. It is recommended to follow a diet for at least a week after poisoning. Food should be given frequently (up to 8 times a day), but in small portions so as not to overload digestive tract. Food should be light and gentle, neither hot nor cold, crushed, liquid or semi-liquid consistency.

Immediately after poisoning, when the child asks to eat, but not earlier than 4-6 hours after the last attack of vomiting, you can offer him biscuits, baked apples, liquid rice or oatmeal, boiled in water. Later they add boiled eggs, crackers, yesterday's bread, boiled potatoes or mashed potatoes with water, boiled or steamed lean meat, pureed vegetable soup, yogurt, kefir. It is strictly not recommended to give children milk, fatty, spicy foods, fresh vegetables and fruits, smoked meats, canned food, fresh bread, sweets, spices, freshly squeezed juices, sweet sparkling water. The transition from diet to regular food should be smooth and gradual.

Prevention

To prevent food poisoning in a child, you need to follow basic rules of personal hygiene, storage and preparation of food. The main responsibility for the fact that this happened falls on the shoulders of adults. Prevention includes the following measures:

1. Ensure that the child washes his hands with soap before eating, after coming home from the street and after visiting the toilet. Duration of hand treatment soap solution must be at least 30 seconds.
2. Washing fresh vegetables and fruits, or better yet, pour boiling water over them before eating.
3. Store cooked dishes in the refrigerator for no more than 48 hours.
4. Avoiding eating out fast food and other dubious places, purchasing and consuming buns, pies or other products in unauthorized retail outlets on the street.
5. Compliance with the rules for preparing, defrosting, freezing and storing food, ensuring the cleanliness of dishes, work surfaces and kitchen utensils, washing hands before, during and after cooking.
6. Compliance with the requirements for heat treatment of products, thorough boiling and frying raw meat, birds and fish.
7. Control of cleanliness and temperature on refrigerator shelves (below 15°C in the freezer and below 5°C in the refrigerator).
8. Check the expiration date of products before purchasing.
9. Avoiding the child’s consumption of unboiled milk, purchased on the market of unheated cottage cheese.

You should avoid eating foods that smell or appearance which arouses the slightest suspicion.

Children are more likely to develop food poisoning. Their treatment must be taken seriously. Self-medication can be dangerous to the health of babies; all medications must be prescribed by a doctor. In this article we looked at what to give a child in case of poisoning at the stage of treatment first aid, cases in which you should urgently seek medical treatment.

Features of the child's body

Poisoning in a child is more severe than in an adult. This is explained by the peculiarities of development and structure child's body. Below are the main factors that contribute to the occurrence of poisoning in children.

• Full production of saliva appears only at one year of age. Until this time, the baby is not protected by lysozyme, a protein that neutralizes some bacteria and protects against infections.
• Underdevelopment immune system, which is necessary to protect the body from pathogenic microorganisms. Only at 3 years old does the child’s immunity begin to fully function.
• The intestinal microflora provides local immunity and protects against certain intestinal infections. A baby is born with a sterile intestine, which fills with beneficial and essential bacteria during the first year of life. Already at 2 years old intestinal microflora no different from an adult.
• Acidity gastric juice in children it is lower, as a result of which the stomach is not fully protected from intestinal viruses and bacteria.

What are the most common causes of childhood poisoning?

There are many factors and reasons that can lead to poisoning in a child. It is worth noting that parental inattention and insufficient child supervision are the main causes of childhood poisoning. Medicines left unattended detergents, expired food - all this is dangerous for the baby.

The main causes of poisoning in children:

• Eating expired and improperly prepared food leads to foodborne illness. The child may become infected with salmonellosis, dysentery or E. coli;
• the child taking medications or chemicals found at home. The baby wants to taste everything he sees around him. He mistakes brightly colored tablets for candy, and floor cleaner for a sweet drink;
• mushroom poisoning. According to the dietary recommendations of pediatricians, mushrooms are prohibited for children under 12 years of age. But many parents begin to feed their offspring with them early age. Digestive system a child cannot digest mushroom proteins. A baby can be poisoned even by edible high-quality mushrooms;
• the child’s failure to comply with basic personal hygiene. Through dirty hands he can become infected with an intestinal infection.

Who treats childhood poisonings?

Treatment of a poisoned child must be carried out by doctors. When the first signs of poisoning appear, you should call an ambulance or take the baby to the hospital yourself.

Remember that treating a child on your own is dangerous and pointless. In children, poisoning is accompanied severe intoxication and dehydration. Such conditions are treated exclusively by doctors.

You can provide your baby with first aid, which will help his condition improve slightly. It should begin immediately when the disease develops.

Basics of first aid for childhood poisoning

What to give to a child in case of poisoning and vomiting before the ambulance arrives? Please note that at this stage it is very important not to harm the baby with your attempts to save him. Below is a description of what medications you can give your baby in case of food poisoning and how to help your child while waiting for doctors.

Rest and routine

Provide your baby with peace. Don’t panic, and especially don’t scold him if he is to blame for the development of the disease. Put the child in bed, open a window in the room to get fresh air.

Don't try to feed the baby. Diet food will be prescribed by a doctor after first aid.

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Gastric lavage

Cleansing the stomach will help remove the remains of poor-quality food, bacteria and toxins from it. With its help, you can prevent the deterioration of the patient's condition.

If your child is over 5 years old, perform a self-gastric lavage. To do this, let him drink several glasses of plain water and try to provoke him to vomit.

Remember that washing the stomach is prohibited in case of poisoning with acids, alkalis, or when bloody vomiting occurs.

Enema

Cleansing the intestines will help remove pathogenic microorganisms and toxins from it and reduce intoxication. The enema should be done using plain boiled water. Its temperature should be room temperature. The enema is done with clean intestinal rinses. Adding any medications or herbal decoctions to an enema is prohibited at home.

Sorbents

Sorbents are medications that can be taken before doctors arrive. Their dosage can be calculated according to the weight or age of the child. For example, a 4-year-old child weighs about 20 kg. 1 tablet Activated carbon is designed for 10 kg, and a baby weighing 20 kg should be given two tablets.

Please note that the dosage of sorbents with different names differs from each other. Before giving them to your baby, read the instructions carefully. It is also necessary to check the expiration date of medications. Expired tablets can lead to poisoning.

List of sorbent names:

• activated carbon;
• enterosgel;
• sorbex;
• smecta;
• atoxyl.

Drink plenty of fluids

What can a poisoned child drink? Before the doctors arrive, you can give your child mineral or alkaline water no gases. Hot and cold drinks are contraindicated.

What to do if a child drinks acid or alkali

In case of such poisoning, you should not rinse the stomach or induce vomiting in the baby. Gastric lavage is performed by doctors through a tube. This is the only way to safely get rid of the chemical without causing repeated burns to the mucous membrane of the esophagus and oral cavity.

Before the doctors arrive, give your baby some plain water to drink, put him in bed and put ice on his stomach.

Remember that you should not try to neutralize the contents of the stomach. Many people believe that if you are poisoned by acid, you just need to drink alkali. During the neutralization reaction, a large amount of gases are formed that can rupture the stomach from the inside.

Medical treatment

Doctors, upon arriving at a call, will examine the sick child, collect anamnesis and begin providing first aid. It consists of:

• gastric lavage through a tube (if there are contraindications to regular gastric cleansing);
• connecting a dropper with solutions to eliminate dehydration and reduce intoxication;
• during development gastrointestinal bleeding drugs are introduced to stop it;
• administration of antiemetic drugs (osetron, cerucal) helps relieve the urge to vomit.

A poisoned child may be hospitalized in an infectious diseases, intensive care or toxicology department. It depends on the substance with which the baby was poisoned.

Treatment in a hospital begins in the first minutes of hospitalization. It consists of:

• administration of antidotes (if they exist for the substance that poisoned the patient);
• hemodialysis - blood purification. It is carried out in case of poisoning with drugs, mushrooms;
• antibiotic therapy, which is indicated for intestinal infections;
• copious IV drips to treat dehydration;
• enzymes - drugs that improve digestion;
• antispasmodics, which are used to relieve abdominal pain;
• dietary nutrition.

The duration of treatment in a hospital depends on the condition of the child, the etiology of poisoning and the timeliness of seeking treatment. medical care.

Prevention of childhood poisoning

Childhood poisoning is much easier to prevent than to treat. This is not difficult to do. Below we have put together recommendations for you that will help you protect your child from this disease.

• Buy food only from official markets or certified stores. You cannot be sure of the quality of food purchased at spontaneous markets or secondhand.
• Always check the manufacturing date when purchasing products, inspect their appearance and the integrity of the packaging.
• Teach your child to wash his hands before each meal and after returning from the street. Make sure he doesn't lick his hands or bite his nails.
• Try not to buy semi-finished or ready-made meals. The healthiest and safest food is the one you prepare yourself from fresh ingredients with clean hands.
• Do not give children mushrooms, smoked meats, canned food, or sausages. These products are not intended for baby food.
• Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly and use baking soda to clean dishes.
• Hide all medicines and household chemicals from children.

Self-medication of childhood poisoning is very dangerous. As soon as the first signs of this disease appear, you should seek medical help. Before the doctors arrive, you can perform a gastric lavage, do an enema, and give your baby sorbents and drinks. Further treatment carried out by emergency and hospital doctors. Its volume and duration depend on the toxic substance and the patient’s condition.