Gastroenteritis

Call 911 if:

• The person experiences signs of dehydration.
• The person may have food poisoning from eating a canned food.
• Know the Signs of an Emergency:
• Signs of dehydration:
• Little to no urination
• Extreme thirst
• Lack of tears
• Dry mouth
• Sunken eyes
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Rapid breathing and heartbeat
• Lack of alertness
• Blurred or double vision
• Trouble swallowing or breathing
• Muscle weakness

Signs of food poisoning from eating a canned food:

• Symptoms may start within hours of eating the contaminated food
• Others who ate the food are also sick
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Abdominal pain and cramping
• Watery diarrhea
• Fever

1. Prevent Dehydration

• Give a child an oral rehydration solution. Call your health care provider for age-appropriate dosing specifics.
• Give an adult as much clear fluid as possible.
• The person should drink fluids slowly in frequent, small amounts. Drinking too much too fast can worsen nausea.

2. When to Call a Doctor
Seek medical help if:

• Vomiting in an adult or a child age 2 or older lasts more than 1 day or a fever or severe diarrhea (large amounts of loose stool every 1 to 2 hours) lasts more than 2 days.
• A child under age 2 has vomiting or diarrhea for more than 12 hours or has a fever with vomiting and diarrhea.
• Vomit or diarrhea turns bloody or tarry.
• The person has kidney, liver, or heart disease and must restrict fluid intake.
• The person develops sudden, severe abdominal pain.
• Dehydration symptoms develop.
• Symptoms fail to resolve after a week.

3. Follow Up

• Gradually ease food back into the person's diet.
• Start with bland, easy-to-digest food such as crackers, bananas, toast, rice, and chicken.
• Avoid dairy, caffeine, and alcohol until recovery is complete.
• If medical treatment is necessary, the person may receive fluids intravenously and anti-nausea medications.

SOURCES:
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: "Viral Gastroenteritis."
PeaceHealth: "Gastroenteritis in Adults and Older Children."
American Academy of Family Physicians: "Treating Gastroenteritis and Dehydration in Your Child."