# raw chicken exposure? (help please)



## angrypixiemama (Jan 5, 2007)

DD was helping me in the kitchen, and she had something to keep her occupied while I was prepping the chicken for dinner. (or so I thought!) I turned to put the knife I was using in the sink and turned around to see her touch the chicken and then stick her fingers in her mouth. I immediately washed her hands, but what else can I do? Should I be very concerned? I am sorry if this sounds terribly naive, but I am terrified of salmonella. Thanks for any help.


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## leerypolyp (Feb 22, 2005)

Most likely everything will be fine. I wouldn't worry too much. If she gets salmonella, you'll know, and then you can deal -- but odds are she'll be fine.


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## angrypixiemama (Jan 5, 2007)

thank you for replying...I am a little panicked over here.


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## Nolamom (Jan 29, 2008)

My dd did have salmonella. From exposure to raw chicken.







Basically, for humans over the age of 3 months the suggestion is to just let it run it's course. Her pediatrician suggested keeping a close eye on her for signs of dehydration and that was it. It was a really rough horrible week but no lasting problems at all. I certainly hope your dc doesn't have it, but even if so everything should be fine.


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## MadameXCupcake (Dec 14, 2007)

I wouldn't worry at all.







:
I know there are some mama's in the TF forum that have eaten raw chicken.


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## dsaucone (Mar 16, 2008)

This happened to us a week ago. I caught her sticking her hands in it, freaked out because I didn't want her sticking them in her mouth, so what does she do? Stick them in her mouth because I freaked out.

We: washed hands, brushed teeth, and gave her a 1/2 tsp of colloidal silver just in case.


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## Raene (Jul 24, 2008)

Some people, including famous model and actress Carol Alt, EAT raw meat. If she hasn't died, I'm sure your daughter is A-Okay.


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## SquishyBuggles (Dec 19, 2008)

Yup, odds are she will be fine. Good luck!


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## angrypixiemama (Jan 5, 2007)

Thanks everyone! I have been watching her like a hawk, trying to stay ahead of it. It was such a weird one off thing - I have issues about handling raw meat anyway, so she doesn't normally see me working with it. Figures that this one time she gets into it. Thanks for making me feel so much better.


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## vanislemama (Jan 5, 2008)

I'm hoping your daughter's OK since it's been a couple of days, but thought I'd share my unfortunate salmonella experience.

My (exclusively breastfed) daughter got it when she was just under 3 months old (probably from the family dog who had gotten into chicken manure), and the doctors decided she needed antibiotics. Long story short, she got extremely, life threateningly sick with c. difficile, caused by antibiotics wiping out all the good bacteria.

So if your DD does come down with salmonella, I would absolutely NOT let any doctor tell you she needs antibiotics. I will never, ever, give my DD antibiotics again if there is absolutely any way to avoid it!


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## Love_My_Bubba (Jul 4, 2006)

Update please!


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## tankgirl73 (Jun 10, 2007)

Ugh vanislemama... that sounds horrible!

The thing with chicken and salmonella is not that you WILL catch salmonella from chicken, that ALL chicken has salmonella on it and is just a food poisoning waiting to happen.

It's that raw chicken is a common source, a favourite residence of the salmonella bacterium. So we take our precautionary measures with raw chicken, not because it's deadly, but *just in case* this particular bird has some bacteria on it.

If the meat was well-chilled and looked after properly before your DD touched it, _odds are_ that the bacterial load on the bird, if any, was small, and the amount that she would have ingested would not be anything her immune system couldn't handle. Generally speaking, a body has to be exposed to a significant amount of bacteria before its enough to be overwhelmed by the load. It's riskier when there's a higher bacteria content (chicken that's been sitting at room temperature for a couple hours, so any pre-existing salmonella bugs have multiplied) or when a body has weakened immunity (very young infants).

Salmonella poisoning, when it DOES happen, is quite unpleasant but temporary. Most people recover just fine and dandy, serious complications are fairly rare -- again, unless the person has health concerns to begin with.

So like a lot of things that we've become hyper-vigilant and paranoid about, it's something that we do need to take proper cautions against, but it's not serious enough to PANIC over. If your DD does get sick, ride it out... Odds are though, she won't.


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## MusicianDad (Jun 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tankgirl73* 
Ugh vanislemama... that sounds horrible!

The thing with chicken and salmonella is not that you WILL catch salmonella from chicken, that ALL chicken has salmonella on it and is just a food poisoning waiting to happen.

It's that raw chicken is a common source, a favourite residence of the salmonella bacterium. So we take our precautionary measures with raw chicken, not because it's deadly, but *just in case* this particular bird has some bacteria on it.

If the meat was well-chilled and looked after properly before your DD touched it, _odds are_ that the bacterial load on the bird, if any, was small, and the amount that she would have ingested would not be anything her immune system couldn't handle. Generally speaking, a body has to be exposed to a significant amount of bacteria before its enough to be overwhelmed by the load. It's riskier when there's a higher bacteria content (chicken that's been sitting at room temperature for a couple hours, so any pre-existing salmonella bugs have multiplied) or when a body has weakened immunity (very young infants).

Salmonella poisoning, when it DOES happen, is quite unpleasant but temporary. Most people recover just fine and dandy, serious complications are fairly rare -- again, unless the person has health concerns to begin with.

So like a lot of things that we've become hyper-vigilant and paranoid about, it's something that we do need to take proper cautions against, but it's not serious enough to PANIC over. If your DD does get sick, ride it out... Odds are though, she won't.









:

There's a good chance she won't even get sick.


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## angrypixiemama (Jan 5, 2007)

Thanks everyone! I haven't seen any signs of sickness yet, knock wood. The meat had only been out of the fridge for about 5 minutes, so that should mean less bacteria to worry about.

I admit to being paranoid about it, since my younger cousin was hospitalized with salmonella poisoning as an infant. I remember my aunt sobbing because they did a spinal puncture or whatever on her. I think that is always in the back of my head.


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