Call 911 if:
- The person is in shock from severe dehydration (faints, can't walk, is confused or is having trouble breathing)
Know the Signs of an Emergency:
Dehydration with the following symptoms should be evaluated and treated in an emergency room:
- 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.