Be vigilant not only with pharmaceuticals but also with common household products such as bleach, polishes, solvents, oven cleaners and paint. Never store dangerous products in everyday containers such as milk bottles or drinking glasses. A child may associate these with food or drink and try them out. Check the garden for poisonous plants and berries and remove them. Have the boiler checked regularly to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, and make sure that bedrooms have adequate ventilation.
Food poisoning is caused by eating food that is contaminated by bacteria.
Symptoms include a painful or tender abdomen, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea and sometimes fever and sweating. In most cases, medical treatment is not necessary. The person should drink plenty of fluids and make sure to replace the salt and sugar that are lost through vomiting and diarrhoea. If symptoms persist for longer than 24 hours, you should contact a doctor. Botulism is a rare but very serious form of food poisoning.