What To Do If My Child Swallows An Object?

A child swallowing a small object is a relatively trivial accident. If it does happen, don’t panic: just act promptly in those cases of exceptional importance that require medical intervention.

If my child swallows an object,  the first thing I have to do is to stay calm and check what happened, to know exactly what he has swallowed. In most cases there is no need to be alarmed, since, in the absence of negative symptoms, there will be no need for urgent medical attention. Generally, the foreign body will be expelled through the natural channels after 24-48 hours or, at the latest, within 5 days.

In some cases, you will have to rush to the hospital for an x-ray to be made that allows you to locate the object inside the baby’s body and thus check the seriousness of the situation. It all depends on the size and shape of the object in relation to the child’s age.

You must take into account that  only foreign bodies located in the esophagus, as well as those whose volume is incompatible with transit along the digestive tract, will be extracted  by endoscopy.

If there are no negative symptoms, generally, swallowing an object does not involve any medical emergency. However, if in doubt, it is best to consult a professional. On the other hand, in the case of ingestion of toxic objects, it is essential to consult a doctor urgently, in order to avoid any complications.

What should I do if my child swallows an object?

In cases where the child cannot speak or find it difficult to breathe, you need to put the following tips into practice:

• Stand behind him and  put your arms on his chest.
• Tilt the child forward at the waist until the upper airways are parallel to the ground.

• With the other hand,  give him five firm strokes on the shoulder blades.
• If the object does not eject, make a fist with one hand and place it right above his navel. Place your other hand on top of your fist and give  5 quick blows to the abdomen, inwards and upwards.
• Continue the cycle described above until the object is ejected, or until the child begins to breathe or cough.
• If he loses consciousness,  seek emergency medical help.
• Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, in case you know how to do it.
• If the baby can speak,  calm him down and ask him  what he has swallowed.

What should I not do if my child swallows an object?

• Do not panic: you must remain calm, despite the anxiety and anguish, so as not to upset your child, and to behave effectively.
• In no way try to extract the foreign body using dangerous maneuvers: these actions are doomed to failure.
• Do not try to make him vomit: in this case, you would expose the child to inhalation of stomach contents.
• Do not hit him on the back or give him fluids: these actions can move the ingested item and turn a partial obstruction into a complete obstruction.

In what cases should I rush to the hospital if my child swallows an object?

If your child swallows an object, you need to be constantly alert, because you need to seek medical attention if you have the following symptoms:

• Pain in the throat and neck.
• He coughs and breathes with difficulty,  because the object can be lodged in the respiratory tract.
• She vomits and has stomach pains.
• Cannot swallow saliva.
• The ingested object is a battery or magnet, or it is pointed.
• Has  pale or bluish skin.
• Has symptoms of  asphyxiation.

How can I prevent my child from swallowing an object?

• Don’t let him play  with objects that are too small.
• Supervise the baby  during meals and cut the food into small pieces.
• Include solid foods  in her diet.
• Teach him to  eat calmly, not to talk with his mouth full, and to chew well.

• Prevent  children from walking, running or playing with food or toys in their mouths.
• Children under the age of 4 should not eat foods they cannot digest easily, such as candy, popcorn, or whole dried fruit.
• You don’t have to feed them when they are eating.
• Make sure he plays with  toys that are suitable for his age and do not contain small items.

Finally, you must take into account that  most of the swallowed objects will be excreted in the feces a day or two after your child has swallowed the object. Then, it will be enough to check the droppings for a few days to verify that the object has been expelled. In some cases, however, deportation can take up to 3 weeks.