If a child has swallowed something that should not

It is common for a small child to learn about the world not only with the help of standard senses, but also with taste sensations, so most babies pull into their mouths whatever they like - toys, books or a dirty shoe. Most of these items do not pose a health hazard to the crumbs, unless pathogenic bacteria enter the stomach with them. However, other situations also happen - the parents did not look after the child and he swallowed a thing that could harm the body and even lead to death.

If a child swallows a battery

Cases when a baby swallows batteries are not at all uncommon, because most modern toys work with them.

Finger and little finger batteries are especially dangerous, as they can get stuck in the throat or esophagus and cause breathing problems. If a child has bitten it before swallowing an object, the tightness of the battery is broken and the electrolyte flows out of it faster.

What is the threat?

• Electrical burns to the mucous membranes due to the voltage generated in damp medium.
• Electrochemical burn. When electrolyte leaks out, the integrity of the tissues is violated.

Symptoms that should alert you:

• profuse salivation;
• temperature increase;
• nausea and vomiting;
• feces mixed with blood;
• lethargy, lack of appetite, moodiness;
• pale skin;
• the child may complain of abdominal pain, squat, bend in half, etc.

The most effective way to identify a foreign object in the stomach is x-rays, and doctors also palpate the abdomen and prescribe a blood test.

The main methods are the use of a fibrogastroscope, a surgical method, gastric lavage and the use of enemas, laxatives. Removing the battery takes place under general anesthesia, as the process is rather complicated.

If a child swallows a ball

Many moms and dads are interested in what will happen if a child swallows a metal ball. Most often, these are balls from magnetic constructors that connect sticks with magnets, such as most children from three years old have.

Doctors strongly recommend that you immediately go to the hospital, the baby should be observed by a specialist for some time, even if there are no visible symptoms and the child is feeling well. The swallowing of metal objects is the most common cause of unpleasant health effects. Metal balls (especially when there are several) cause damage to the intestinal walls and bleeding, which is why it is so important to make sure that the foreign object has been removed from the body.

If a child swallows a coin

To begin with, let's decide what categorically cannot be done if the child has swallowed a coin, and this:

• do an enema or give a laxative so that the item comes out naturally at home;
• give bread or other food to push the coin;
• immediately rush to extract it.

Make sure the coin is not in the airway. If your baby is doing well, wait for a bowel movement. Feed your child foods that are rich in fiber, then the result will not be long in coming.

If the condition of the crumbs causes you concern, take an x-ray, it will show exactly where the coin is, whether its location is dangerous. The most undesirable outcome is the presence of an object in the bronchi; in this case, surgical intervention cannot be avoided.

Ate a child swallowed glass

It often happens that children break glass objects or mirrors and pull small fragments into their mouths, everything here will depend on the shape and size of a foreign object, because because of the sharp edges it can simply get stuck in the intestines or esophagus, this is especially dangerous in the second case, because the baby's esophagus is very sensitive.

It's not so scary if a child swallows a small glass bead; it's a different matter when it's a shard of a bottle or a New Year's toy. In any case, call an ambulance first and then try to get it yourself. To do this, open the baby's mouth, press on the root of the tongue and look carefully, perhaps the splinter will be removed along with the vomit or saliva.

After two hours, the object is in the intestines, nothing can be done here, even X-ray cannot reveal its presence. Feed your baby porridge and boiled vegetables to remove the debris naturally. At the same time, it is forbidden to cause diarrhea - to do an enema or give a laxative.

If a child swallows gum

Most young children do not yet know how to use chewing gum and often confuse it with candy. This scares parents, because there are many horror stories about how chewing gum stays in the stomach for years without decomposing and poisoning the body.

In fact, neither you nor the child will most likely notice anything, the treat will be excreted from the body with the digested food. It's another matter if the baby complains of abdominal pain, nausea and is capricious, in this case it will not be superfluous to see the doctor.

What are the negative consequences of swallowing gum?

• The most unfavorable outcome is the case when the gum gets stuck in the airways, and a cough occurs, which brings the object out, if this does not happen immediately call a doctor. When the baby's breathing is difficult, give first aid - fix it between the knees, tilting his head down and pat between the shoulder blades.
• Rarely, an allergic reaction to the components of the gum in the form of a rash may occur.
• Poisoning occurs when the gum is made from toxic ingredients. To eliminate the consequences, call a doctor and wash the stomach.

If a child has swallowed a tooth

There are times when a child accidentally swallows a loose milk tooth, often during a meal. The parents have a reasonable anxiety about whether it will damage the internal organs? There is no need to panic, unless, of course, the child choked on the object.

Dentists assure that milk teeth do not pose any danger if swallowed, because they are not at all as sharp and strong as permanent incisors or canines. It will just dissolve in the stomach, so don't worry, feed your baby a hearty meal and wait for the contents of the intestines to come out naturally.

If a child swallows a toy

In the practice of pediatric surgeons, the extraction of foreign objects most often occurs from one to three years old, when young researchers are actively exploring the world. But even at the age of 5-6 years, such cases are not uncommon, some doctors even collect whole collections of things extracted from the esophagus and stomachs of babies.

During the game, children pull into their mouths an object that interests them, for example, a part from a construction set or a toy from a kinder surprise. The consequences will directly depend on the shape and size of the toy, some of them are not dangerous at all and leave the body without hindrance.

Particularly "popular" among children are small plastic parts from designers, caps from felt-tip pens, etc. Due to the special structure of the larynx of young children (adults have an epiglottis cartilage that prevents foreign bodies from entering the respiratory tract), they easily choke on objects. It is difficult not to notice the fact of suffocation, it is accompanied by coughing, whistling, shortness of breath and a hoarse voice. It is good if the baby is able to clear his throat on his own, but if you see him starting to faint, immediately use the methods of removing the toy from the respiratory tract.

If a child swallows a pill

Often, adults neglect safety rules, a child can easily eat one or a handful of bright coated tablets.

Common symptoms:

• skin redness or pallor;
• dilated pupils;
• nausea, vomiting;
• stomach ache;
• cold sweat;
• high temperature;
• convulsions;
• heart palpitations.

If the baby is talking, ask him how many pills he ate, when it happened, what are the names of the swallowed drugs and what he complains about. After that, call an ambulance and give the doctors all the information, so they will determine the possible effect of drugs on the body and select a treatment. Most likely, the child will be put for examination, it does not matter if there are external symptoms or not. The drugs are not immediately absorbed into the bloodstream; before that, it will be difficult to determine the degree of their effect.

If a child has swallowed mercury

Probably, in almost every family a thermometer has broken at least once, everyone knows what damage to health is caused by inhalation of mercury vapors, this dangerous chemical poisoning the body up to death. But what to do when the child has swallowed the mercury?

Immediately induce the victim to vomit and call an ambulance, doctors will wash the stomach and hospitalize the child to monitor his condition. In most cases, the balls of mercury pass through the esophagus and are excreted along with the bowel movement without causing significant harm to health. It is more scary when children start to play with the substance, simultaneously inhaling its vapors, so be sure to keep the thermometer out of the reach of the child.