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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffIf you or your child needs to see a doctor, you'll likely see your primary care provider first. If there are questions about the diagnosis, your doctor may refer you to an infectious disease specialist.
What you can do
Your time with your doctor is often limited, so preparing a list of questions will help you make the most of your time together. Some questions you might want to ask your doctor or your child's doctor include:
- What's the likely cause of the symptoms? Are there other possible causes?
- Is there a need for any tests?
- What's the best treatment approach? Are there any alternatives?
- Is there a need to take any medicine? Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing?
- How can I ease the symptoms?
If at any time during your appointment you don't understand what the doctor is saying, don't hesitate to ask for clarification.
What to expect from your doctor
Some questions the doctor may ask include:
- Has anyone in your family or otherwise close to you developed similar symptoms? If so, did you both eat the same things?
- Have you traveled anywhere where the water or food supply might not be safe?
- Are you having bloody bowel movements?
- Do you have a fever?
- Have you taken any antibiotics in the days or weeks before your symptoms started?
- When did symptoms first begin?
- Have the symptoms been continuous or intermittent?
- How severe are the symptoms?
- What, if anything, seems to improve symptoms?
- What, if anything, appears to worsen symptoms?
What you can do in the meantime
Drink plenty of fluids. Stick with bland foods to reduce stress on your digestive system. If your child is sick, follow the same approach — offer plenty of fluids, and bland food. If you're breast-feeding or using formula, continue to feed your child as usual. Ask your child's doctor if giving your child an oral rehydration fluid such as Pedialyte is appropriate.
- Diagnosis and management of foodborne illnesses: A primer for physicians and other health care professionals. Rockville, Md.: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. http://www.guideline.gov/summary/summary.aspx?ss=15&doc_id=5266&nbr=3593. Accessed April 20, 2009.
- Bacteria and foodborne illness. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC). http://www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/bacteria/index.htm. Accessed April 20, 2009.
- Foodborne illness. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/foodborneinfections_g.htm. Accessed April 20, 2009.
- Basics for handling food safely. United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Basics_for_Safe_Food_Handling.pdf. Accessed April 20, 2009.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, et al. Diagnosis and management of foodborne illnesses: A primer for physicians and other health care professionals. MMWR Recommendations and Reports. 2004;53:1. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5304a1.htm. Accessed April 20, 2009.
- Avoid foodborne illness: Fight BAC! American Medical Association. http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/upload/mm/36/foodborne_patient.pdf. Accessed April 20, 2009.
- Listeriosis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Foodborne, Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases. http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/listeriosis_gi.html. Accessed April 20, 2009.
- Conlon CP. Food-borne and water-borne infections. In: Cohen J, et al. Infectious Diseases. 2nd ed. New York, N.Y.: Mosby; 2004. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/132803244-4/0/1209/288.html?tocnode=49354199&fromURL=288.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-02407-6..50095-7_3004. Accessed April 21, 2009.
