One of the joys of summer is packing up a basket with your favorite foods and heading to a park or beach. Or simply turning on the grill and relaxing in your backyard.

These activities involve eating outdoors. And that requires a bit of thought to avoid complications from contaminated food.

“Food poisoning is a general term we use for consequences of eating food that is left out or isn’t properly stored. It can be caused by a variety of pathogens,” says physician assistant Aron Zarowsky, PA-C, with LVPG Family Medicine–Hometown. “Symptoms can start anywhere from an hour to several hours after you eat the food. A more serious case may not show up for days or weeks.”

Is it ‘pasta-tively’ food poisoning?

Zarowsky says to look for symptoms such as abrupt onset of abdominal pain and nausea. “If you feel sick, consider what you have recently eaten. Think about whether things were left out too long, whether they were undercooked or if there was cross-contamination, such as if raw meat or poultry was stored or placed with other foods,” he says. “You can also talk with other people who ate the same food and see if they have the same symptoms.”

According to Zarowsky, it’s important to distinguish between mild and serious illness.

Dehydration always warrants the emergency department at the hospital.

These symptoms are serious, and you should seek emergency care if you experience them:

• Diarrhea

• Blood in a bowel movement or vomit

• Fever greater than 101.3 F

• Severe abdominal pain

• Signs of dehydration (inability to tolerate liquids, dry mouth, lethargy, dizziness, confusion, dark urine, headache, muscle cramps)

Parents should get care for their child if they experience:

• Unusual changes in behavior or thinking

• Excessive thirst and little or no urination

• Weakness or dizziness

• Diarrhea that lasts more than a day

• Vomiting often

• In children under age 2, any fever

• In children older than 2, fever of 102 F or higher

If your symptoms do not fall into the above categories, Zarowsky advises to drink fluids to prevent dehydration, including those containing electrolytes. Eat small meals and consider a diet of bananas, rice, applesauce and toast (BRAT).

He says that if symptoms do not resolve within 72 hours, go to an emergency department as it may indicate a more serious bacterial infection.

The emergency room at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Carbon is located at 2128 Blakeslee Blvd. Drive E., Lehighton, Pa.

To make a primary care appointment at LVPG Family Medicine, call 888-402-LVHN (5846) or visit LVHN.org.