This Easter weekend, health officials are reminding parents not to let young children handle baby chicks and ducklings due to the risk of Salmonella infection. At Easter time, baby chicks, ducklings and other animals, are commonly given as gifts or put on Easter displays. In some areas, there has been a surge of interest in baby chicks as people are increasingly raising them for fresh eggs. Every year, a number of children will become infected with Salmonella after handling baby chicks or ducklings at Easter.

Many parents may not realize that these baby birds often harbor and shed Salmonella bacteria even if they appear clean and healthy. Bacteria from the animal’s intestines can easily contaminate their feathers and the immediate environment. Therefore, children may be exposed to Salmonella by simply handling the birds.

Young children are at higher risk of getting Salmonella infections from animals because they have frequent hand-to-mouth behaviors. In addition, young children, along with the elderly and immune-compromised people, are more likely to develop serious complications from Salmonella infections.

Salmonellosis typically starts with nausea and vomiting within 12 to 72 hours after exposure, and may progress to abdominal pains, diarrhea, fever, chills, or muscle aches. Most people recover without receiving any medical treatment, but severe dehydration may occur and the infection can spread to other organs outside the intestines.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), salmonellosis causes about 1.4 million cases of foodborne illness and more than 500 deaths each year in the United States. The CDC has issued the following 5 recommendations to parents about preventing Salmonella infections from baby chicks and ducklings:

• Do not purchase live animals as Easter gifts. Give toy stuffed animals instead.

• Do not let children under 5 years of age handle baby chicks or other young birds. Keep them from coming into contact with packages in which chicks or ducklings arrive.

• If anyone touches the chicks or ducklings or their environment, make sure that they wash their hands immediately afterwards. Pacifiers, toys, bottles or other objects should not touch the baby birds or their enclosures. If these objects do become contaminated, wash them with warm soapy water.

• Do not allow anyone to eat or drink while interacting with birds or their environment. Keep the bird area separate from areas where food and drink are prepared or consumed. Do not allow chicks or ducklings on table surfaces or places where food will be prepared or eaten.

• Talk to your veterinarian, nurse or doctor about possible risk factors.

Salmonella has been a hot topic in the news and parents may be starting to suffer from “Salmonella fatigue” but it’s important to keep their children free from Salmonella this Easter holiday. For more information about Salmonella, read the Healia health guide on Salmonella, or send a question to Healia’s online support group for Salmonella.


_{Photo: Samdogs, Flickr, Creative Commons}