Food poisoning symptoms can begin as quickly as four hours or as long as 24 hours after eating contaminated food. People who eat the same contaminated food will get sick at about the same time, although symptoms can start quickest in young children because of their small size. The main treatment for food poisoning is to take in enough fluids to prevent dehydration. Fluids that contain both salt and water are best. Give children Pedialyte, just a tablespoon or so at a time, every few minutes.
Children get dehydrated quicker than adults do, so fluid replacement is very important.
Call your child's physician if your child is not passing urine at least twice a day, if you can't get your child to take any Pedialyte, or if your child seems confused or exhibits lack of interest in his surroundings. Wash your hands before preparing food, in between preparing different food courses, and after food preparation is complete. When grilling chicken, beef or pork, make sure there are no pink juices from the meat. Juices will be clear if the food is sufficiently cooked. Don't save leftovers that have sat at room temperature or outside.