Families with small children know that young researchers explore the world very actively, and this may not always be safe. Most often, children touch everything they can reach, and it happens that they taste new unfamiliar objects and put them in their mouths, not understanding the danger. If a child swallows something, parents are terrified! They begin to think about what harm an object accidentally or deliberately swallowed could cause to their baby. Therefore, mothers and fathers need to know exactly what to do if the baby swallows something inedible.
Objects that are dangerous or harmless to health - how to find out?
Sometimes parents worry in vain, so it is useful to know a rough list of what usually does not cause any harm to the child, and after a time is eliminated from his body naturally. Safe Items to Swallow:
- small parts from a designer, for example, Lego;
- small buttons;
- various small beads or seed beads;
- small-sized coins;
- other small items.
But there are cases when swallowed objects can cause harm to health, sometimes even irreparable. Therefore, if your baby has swallowed something life-threatening, you should immediately consult a doctor. Considered hazardous to health and requiring immediate response:
- any tablets, even in single quantities;
- All toxic substances or something poisonous, such as insect poison;
- large diameter coins;
- any long objects (from 3 cm long - for children under one year old; from 5 cm - for children over one year old);
- batteries regardless of their shape and size;
- magnets in quantity more than one;
- foil.
If your baby has swallowed these or similar items, call a doctor immediately. Because if any of these items stay in the body for a long time, it is fraught with bad consequences.
What should you pay attention to first if your baby swallows a foreign body?— On what kind of child’s general state. If he is as active as before, then there is no need to worry. The swallowed thing will come out naturally, so to speak. If he continues to actively play or do something else without complaints about his health, then there is no need to panic.
The baby swallowed a round object
A small, non-toxic, rounded object is the most safe option. In a day he will come out on his own. Feed your baby porridge or applesauce so that the foreign object leaves the child’s body as quickly as possible. Pediatricians categorically do not recommend giving dry food to push an object or induce vomiting. Such violent measures can lead to internal damage.
Swallowed a coin - is it dangerous?
A coin that enters a child's body can cause severe serious consequences. It can block the airway or scratch the wall of the esophagus. There is no need to be afraid of oxidation; for this, the coin will have to spend 3-4 days in the stomach. Small coins in most cases “slip through” without consequences, but make sure that they have left children's body, it is necessary.
Swallowed a potentially dangerous object
If you suspect that a child has swallowed a blade, battery, needle or other dangerous object, you should immediately contact a pediatric surgeon. Before the examination, it is important that the baby remains calm and does not run. It is strictly forbidden to give an enema, induce vomiting, give a laxative, or otherwise help a foreign object leave the body.
Batteries are especially dangerous. Contacting the walls of the intestines or stomach with two poles at once, they lead to damage to the mucous membranes. Batteries contain aggressive toxic substances that are intensively released under the influence of gastric juice. Within one hour of being in the stomach, the battery can cause an ulcer, and after a few hours a hole can form in the stomach wall. If a child swallows a battery, take him to a doctor.
A single magnet swallowed is not dangerous, but if combined with other magnets or metal objects, it may cause damage. Being in different loops of the esophagus, these objects will be attracted and can provoke acute conditions, in particular intestinal obstruction.
Foil
You should be especially vigilant when it comes to foil. Foil can be very dangerous if ingested. The safest thing would be if the foil gets into the digestive tract, as it does not cause any discomfort or health problems. Unfortunately, there are also severe cases where swallowed foil causes great harm.
Once in the respiratory tract, foil restricts the flow of air to the lungs, which can result in hypoxia. When the larynx or trachea is damaged by foil, coughing and vomiting usually occur. This defensive reaction an organism that is trying to deal with the ingestion on its own foreign body. Often at this moment the child will not be able to say anything, and sometimes will not even be able to take a breath. In this case, you should not hesitate and wait for everything to end, you need to immediately call ambulance.
You should also contact qualified specialists if there is blood in the child’s mouth. This means that the foil has scratched the larynx or esophagus. Even if a child swallowed a small piece of foil and did not show any of the described signs, you need to observe for three days to see whether the foil came out naturally. Otherwise, the presence of foil in the body can lead to dire consequences, including disruption of the central nervous system.
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The most important thing: if something still bothers parents or a child, they should definitely consult a doctor! This is exactly the case where it is better to be safe than sorry.
If you are not sure whether your child swallowed something or not? The most obvious signs that the baby has swallowed something:
- The child complains of nausea and vomits;
- The child cries because of abdominal pain;
- His stool changes in appearance;
- Sudden change of mood;
- Increased body temperature;
- Of course, in the event of loss of consciousness, it is also quite likely that he swallowed something.
Surgeon Anton Lysov advises: what to do if a child swallows a foreign object
Coins, batteries, toy parts, crosses and even parts of a metal drill. In medical parlance, all of these are foreign bodies. As a rule, children aged from one to three years try everything around. Often everything happens in a matter of seconds. Parents, succumbing to panic, do not understand what to do. How to avoid foreign bodies getting into the body and what to do if this has already happened, surgeon Anton Lysov will tell you in the “Little Things in Life” program.
What should be done immediately as soon as a child swallows an object?
- Ask the child to open his mouth. It is quite possible that the baby has not yet swallowed, but simply put something inedible in his mouth. In this case, you should not scare the child, but carefully remove the object.
- In case the object was actually swallowed and there is dangerous symptoms, call doctors immediately.
- Observe the baby’s condition, even if at first it seems that everything is fine. Active games, good mood, the absence of complaints will show that everything is actually in order and there is no need to worry.
- When the parents have not noticed what exactly the child has swallowed, you can ask the baby himself if he can already talk or is able to point to a similar object.
The reason to immediately seek medical help is:
- vomiting, nausea, hemoptysis, increased salivation;
- acute pain in the larynx, esophagus, stomach area;
- loss of appetite or refusal to eat;
- elevated temperature bodies;
- blood during bowel movements or in stool.
If one or more of these symptoms are present, it does not matter how small the object was swallowed. You need to immediately call an ambulance, and while it is on its way, help the baby yourself in the right way.
What to do and what not to do before the medical team arrives
If an object has passed the oral cavity and is stuck somewhere below, but the baby can breathe freely, in no case should you try to pull out the foreign body yourself or “push” the swallowed object with food! It is also prohibited to give laxatives. Sometimes you can hear advice that a crust of bread or drinking plenty of fluids helps. But under no circumstances should the baby be fed or watered! If the child is very thirsty, or if the mouth is dry, you can simply moisten the lips or wipe them with a damp cloth. In addition, it is necessary to collect your thoughts, calm down and calm the child, and also prepare Required documents for possible hospitalization.
Only if the child begins to choke, do the following:
- Place the baby on your knee so that his head is down.
- Gently tap the edge of your palm between the shoulder blades, directing the movements from bottom to top.
Children under one year old are placed on the hand so that the head is lowered down, and with the finger of the same hand the baby’s mouth is opened. After that, according to the same rules, they clap on the back.
If the baby is not choking, you just need to provide him with peace and make sure that he is in a comfortable position, making a minimum of movements. The actions taken in this case are not only inappropriate, but also dangerous: you can accidentally move a swallowed object so that it blocks the airway or causes acute pain.
How do doctors act in a hospital?
The simplest and most effective test is an x-ray, which can be used to determine the location of a foreign body. Not all objects may be visible, so additional ultrasound or endoscopic examination may be necessary. Typically, children are kept in the hospital for 2-3 days to monitor their condition or decide whether further intervention is needed. If the object is small and does not pose a threat to health, then the child is provided with rest and with each bowel movement they check whether the foreign body has come out.
Dangerous objects must be urgently removed from the body; in this case, the endoscopic method almost always helps. The essence of this method is simple: using an endoscope and a special loop or clamps, they pull the object out through the mouth, and in some cases, push the foreign body further so that it leaves the body naturally. In especially severe cases, laparoscopic or abdominal surgery is prescribed, but this happens extremely rarely.
How to protect your child so that an unpleasant incident does not happen
If possible, you should always keep your child in sight, especially if he is a very small child who has just learned to move independently. Any items that pose even the slightest danger must be removed to a safe place. With older children, you need to talk about safety in language that is accessible to their age. It is worth carefully inspecting all the toys you buy and keeping an eye on the ones you already have so that they are not damaged. Parental love and care, as well as following certain rules, will help protect the child from trouble, and, if necessary, provide first aid if the baby has swallowed something.
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Anyone can swallow a foreign body. Objects may be inhaled, swallowed, become lodged in the throat or stomach, or become embedded in soft fabrics. Young children are at risk because they are characterized by increased curiosity. In many cases, the digestive tract processes the ingested item and it is naturally passed out of the body. In other cases, it may get stuck or cause injury along the way. If this happens, you need to see a doctor for treatment. Depending on the circumstances, surgery may be required.
Who is at risk of swallowing a foreign object
Toddlers and infants often explore and explore objects by placing them in their mouths. The majority of those who swallow a foreign body are children under 3 years of age.
Children often swallow small objects out of curiosity.
The likelihood that a child will swallow something potentially dangerous increases when adults have little or no supervision. The risk also increases when the following items are within reach:
Anything that fits inside a baby's mouth can end up in the digestive tract if no one is watching closely.
It is always necessary to carefully ensure that small objects are not in the baby’s field of vision - in the place where he usually plays. Moreover, you need to store such things out of the reach of a child.
Older children and adults may swallow objects to attract attention, also by accident, including during play, due to unstable mental state etc. In the case of adults, foreign bodies are usually ingested accidentally along with food. For example, a number of health problems cause chewed food to become stuck in the esophagus, which is common in people with some pathological changes gastrointestinal tract:
- stenosis, or narrowing of the esophagus (about 37%);
- malignant formation (about 10%);
- insufficiency of the lower esophageal sphincter (about 6%);
- achalasia - a violation of the ability to relax the sphincters (about 2% of cases).
The foreign bodies most commonly ingested by adults are fish and chicken bones. The clinical approach to the problem depends on the type of foreign body and the symptoms.
In approximately 80% of cases, the ingested object passes through the gastrointestinal tract without complications. Endoscopic examination is performed in approximately 20%, and surgery in less than 1% of cases.
Classification of foreign bodies
Before analyzing the algorithm of actions in case of accidental ingestion of a foreign object, it is reasonable to classify foreign bodies by material, size, shape and chemical composition, as these characteristics help determine the urgency of any intervention. Passage through the duodenum depends on the diameter as well as the size of the penetrating foreign body. Foreign objects with a length of more than 6 cm and a diameter of more than 2.5 cm impede the movement of contents through the duodenum.
Small objects can pass through the entire digestive tract without causing damage
In order to determine how dangerous a swallowed object is, you need to know the following parameters:
- Size:
- length more/less than 6 cm.
- Surface Shape:
- sharp/pointed-blunt;
- rounded / with sharp or torn edges;
- rounded/with smooth blunt edges.
- Material/contents, for example:
- food related;
- medicines;
- batteries;
- magnets;
- plastic and rubber items (buttons and beads, cellophane, a piece of plastic).
- Characteristics:
- radioactivity - yes/no;
- metal - yes / no;
- chemically inert - yes/no.
First of all, it should be noted that if a foreign object has at least one dangerous characteristic, it poses a threat. The risk increases several times if the item has several such characteristics (for example, simultaneously: sharp, big size, metal). And also the same item can be harmless for an adult, but pose a risk to the health of a child. For example, a plum pit is not dangerous if swallowed by an adult (less than 6 cm in length), but poses a threat to a baby (when it is more than 2 cm in length and has a sharp edge). Often, food-related objects can be harmless, if they are small, the gastrointestinal tract can process them along with the food bolus; but when the size is quite large and the object itself is sharp, it can get stuck, injure or block any organ digestive tract.
Dangerous and non-hazardous foreign bodies - table
| Characteristics of foreign bodies (objects) | Dangerous | Non-hazardous (relatively) |
| Size |
|
|
| Surface shape and consistency |
|
Round with smooth and blunt edges: a coin, a tooth or its fragment, a filling. |
| Material |
|
|
| Other characteristics |
|
|
The danger of the items indicated in the table is relative. Even if the swallowed object passed through the esophagus smoothly, without causing immediate discomfort or pain, it is imperative to monitor your well-being until the foreign body leaves the body naturally (you need to make sure of this).
How to understand that a foreign body has been swallowed
Symptoms of a swallowed foreign object are usually difficult to miss.
You will immediately notice if an object is blocking your airway. The most common signs are:
If the child or adult swallows the item easily and does not get it into the throat, there will be no immediate symptoms. The object is already in the digestive tract. It will pass naturally, or symptoms will appear later if the body fails to eliminate the object.
In general, about 60% of foreign bodies become trapped at the oropharyngeal level (at the level of the oropharynx). In this case, a person clearly feels a certain object in his throat as if in a relatively clearly localized trap. Small, narrow and long objects, such as bones and toothpicks, often get stuck at this level, between the tonsils, back of the tongue and esophagus. Symptoms include:
- discomfort from mild to quite severe;
- drooling and inability to swallow.
If the stuck object is not removed in a timely manner, then a delayed manifestation of infection or tissue perforation (breakthrough) is possible.
Possible symptoms that occur when an object gets stuck in the esophagus:
If an object is stuck below the level of the esophagus, the symptoms will be somewhat different and not always clearly distinguishable:
- bloating and discomfort;
- fever;
- periodic vomiting;
- rectal bleeding;
- tarry stools or other symptoms of acute or subacute intestinal obstruction.
Sometimes even a piece of bone in food can lead to perforation of the esophagus and even damage to the heart sac and muscle. Signs and symptoms of perforation of the walls of the gastrointestinal tract are very severe and serious complications that require immediate medical intervention:
Item stuck on long time in the body without treatment, can cause an infection, such as recurrent aspiration pneumonia - inflammation caused by the entry of foreign particles in a solid or liquid state into the bronchi and alveoli. This can lead to chest pain, coughing with phlegm, and wheezing. Sometimes these symptoms are accompanied by a high fever.
Extraction algorithm
It is important to consult a doctor if you swallow a foreign object, even if you think it may pass naturally. The doctor will do an x-ray to look for foreign bodies or a bronchoscopy to take a closer look at the airway. The latter is a procedure in which a specialist uses a thin tube with a camera.
Evaluation and treatment will depend on the type of foreign body. To search and remove a foreign object, the following types of medical examination are used:
Doctors also consider other symptoms when making a diagnosis. If there are no acute manifestations and the person has time, it is advisable to write a list of signs indicating that a foreign object has been swallowed. Such a list will further help the doctor assess the danger of the situation.
First aid
If a person can barely breathe due to a foreign body, emergency treatment is usually required. A foreign object can be removed from the respiratory tract using the Heimlich maneuver.
Quick Facts:
- Choking is the fourth leading cause of unintentional death;
- performing the Heimlich maneuver can help save a person from suffocation;
- actions during the Heimlich maneuver differ for a conscious and unconscious person, for pregnant women and infants;
- the reception can be performed independently.
The Heimlich maneuver, or subphrenic-abdominal thrust, lifts the diaphragm, pushing air out of the lungs. This leads to the expulsion of the foreign object from the respiratory tract.
Regardless of who the technique was used on, that person should be examined by physicians at a later date. This ensures that there is no physical damage to the throat or airways.
First you need to determine whether you need outside help the victim to perform the Heimlich maneuver. If a person who appears to be choking is conscious and coughing, they may be able to remove the object themselves. Cough - most effective method to remove a foreign body. Outside assistance is required if the victim:
- does not cough;
- unable to speak or breathe;
- signals for help, usually by holding his hands to his throat.
First of all, if a bystander is present, you need to ask him to urgently call an ambulance. If there is only one person near the victim, then he immediately proceeds to the following steps:
The steps should be repeated until the item is removed and the person can breathe or cough on their own. Alternatively, if the person is unable to stand, you should grab them around the waist, facing the head. Push your fist inward and upward in the same way as if the victim were standing.
Help for a pregnant woman
For a pregnant woman, the hand should be placed slightly higher on the torso, around the base of her sternum. If the woman is unconscious, try to clear the airway by pressing the palm of your hand to the middle of the back and moving upwards.
Using the technique on an infant
If the affected child is under 1 year of age, other steps must be followed:
Repeat these manipulations until the object is removed and the child can breathe or cough on his own.
Applying the method on yourself
If a person is choking and there is no one nearby, he needs to do the following on his own:
- Place your fist just above your navel, thumb to yourself;
- Clasp your fist with the palm of your other hand and simultaneously insert it inward and upward. Perform five such abdominal thrusts.
Repeat the movements until the foreign body is removed and breathing and cough are restored. You can also place your upper abdomen on a hard edge of an object, such as the corner of a table, counter, or the back of a chair.
Heimlich maneuver - video
When urgent medical attention is required
Immediate medical attention is required if a person swallows:
The above items should be removed immediately with the help of medical personnel on an outpatient basis. The doctor will determine how urgently it is necessary to remove the object, choosing the optimal solution for this, taking into account possible complications.
Home care
If the person is not choking on the foreign body and appears to have swallowed it completely, the doctor may decide to wait and see if the object passes through normally. The victim will need to monitor for symptoms such as vomiting, fever, or signs of pain. The stool should be constantly checked to ensure that the object has left the body.
Most foreign bodies pass through the gastrointestinal tract without complications, and endoscopic or surgical intervention is required in only 10 to 20 percent of cases.
Surgery
If a foreign object causes pain, damage to the intestines or esophagus, then the problem requires emergency surgical intervention or endoscopy to remove the object without puncturing the intestine or esophagus.
Endoscopy is a gentle surgical method
Endoscopy uses a small tube with a camera and tiny surgical instruments. The doctor inserts it into the mouth and guides it down the esophagus to remove the foreign object.
What not to do
There are several common mistakes people make about themselves or a child who has swallowed a foreign body. This situation in itself is already stressful for the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, any non-indicated manipulations at home are prohibited. Such techniques include:
Possible consequences and complications
Most patients who ingest a foreign body will not have any significant complications. But sometimes they are possible. And more likely 12 hours after ingestion of foreign objects, including sharp objects.
Children who swallow button batteries are exposed to high risk necrosis of the esophagus. If such a scenario is suspected, parents should seek help immediately.
Perforation of the esophagus leads to purulent inflammation mediastinum
Clear, small, lightweight objects such as bottle caps and beer can rings often end up in the esophagus and do not show up on X-rays. The longer they stay there, the higher the likelihood of injury and infection, as well as other complications. Such objects should be looked for using computed tomography or endoscopy.
Complications can be represented by inflammation of any part of the gastrointestinal tract, depending on the location of the swallowed object. Appendicitis (inflammation of the appendix of the cecum) is common.
Sometimes a swallowed needle can enter the bloodstream, end up near the lung or heart and make a hole in it. In this situation, only urgent surgical intervention can save a person from death.
Perforation of the internal walls of any organ of the gastrointestinal tract is also a serious complication, since this leads to rapid intoxication of the body and sepsis, with a high probability of death if medical assistance is not provided in time.
A strip of air under the diaphragm is a sign of perforation of a hollow organ
It is always easier to prevent this problem by keeping small items out of the reach of infants and toddlers. Adults and teens should avoid putting small things in their mouths - especially those that can slide down the throat and block the airway. It should be remembered that no one is immune from accidentally swallowing a foreign object.
People different ages can swallow foreign objects. In most cases digestive system will process the foreign body naturally and the body will eliminate it within seven days without any damage. However, an object that does not leave the body can cause organ damage or inflammation over time. Even if nothing worries you after accidentally swallowing something unusual, you should definitely make an appointment with a doctor to make sure your body is safe.
Pieces of glass often end up in drinks if you are not careful when opening bottles with a corkscrew. Sometimes the store has a defective bottle with small pieces of glass at the bottom. Small children may swallow a piece of broken glass from Christmas decorations. How risky is this for life? People sometimes accidentally swallow pieces of glass. This material is extremely strong and will not be digested in the stomach. In addition, the fragments have dangerous sharp edges. What happens if you swallow small piece glass? What to do: rush to the hospital or try home remedies?
Features of the structure of the esophagus
The gastrointestinal tract is a long, flexible muscular tube. If a person swallows food, the muscles contract and push the food further. Indigestible edible substances and inedible objects pass through the tract unchanged.
Man-made substances (iron, glass, plastic) do not change in the intestinal tract, so swallowing these items is risky.
What happens if you eat glass?
The risk of foreign bodies entering the body cannot be excluded. What happens if you swallow a small piece of glass? The entire danger depends on its shape and volume. Sharp pieces of glass can cause organ damage. What happens if you eat a piece of glass with pointed ends? Minor tissue puncture and mild bleeding in the intestinal tract may occur. Blood can be found in a fecal test.
But what happens if you swallow a small piece of glass with food? Once food is swallowed, it quickly passes through the esophagus into the stomach. In a narrow section of the stomach there is an outlet, the pylorus. Pieces that are too large cannot come out through it. They remain in the stomach. The doctor is able to remove pieces through the mouth using a flexible device - an endoscope. Anything that gets past the gatekeeper is unlikely to cause problems.
What happens if you swallow a small piece of glass? Swallowing small pieces with sharp ends seems more dangerous. They can cut through tissue and cause infection.
Symptoms of swallowing an unsafe object
What happens if you swallow a small piece of glass with water, because the oral cavity and human language very sensitive? Usually a person has time to identify foreign bodies before swallowing.
However, children sometimes taste different things and drinks and may swallow unwanted objects. Father and mother can immediately find out that their child has swallowed an object hazardous to health. A number of signs indicate that the child has swallowed a small piece of glass.
Among them:
- vomit;
- salivation;
- stomach ache;
- difficulty swallowing;
- change in stool;
- strange sounds in the stomach.
If any of these signs occur, the child should be immediately shown to a doctor or an ambulance should be called. Small pieces from bottles and glasses are not so easy to see on x-ray. If there is no severe acute pain, doctors wait 24 hours for the fragments to come out completely on their own.
What is the threat to children?
There is a health hazard if a child swallows a splinter. What happens if you swallow a small piece of glass? Little explorers are curious and best method analyze surrounding objects - taste them. Glass objects are often the subject of study. In this case, you need to know what the risk of swallowing glass is. The outcome of the situation depends on the characteristics, shape and surface of the element. The child can eat a piece of the glass. So, what happens if you swallow a piece of glass from a glass? It gets stuck in the esophagus and can damage it. If the object is evenly shaped (for example, balls), you can consider yourself lucky. The danger is limited to the usual getting stuck in the stomach, and damage can be ruled out. There is no need to worry, because there are a number of methods with which you can free yourself from a stuck object. The most important thing is to act quickly, especially if the situation has formed in full view of the parents.
What to do if your baby eats a splinter?
What to do if you swallow a small piece of glass? If a child has eaten glass, the most important thing is to remain calm and not panic. A similar situation can happen to anyone, so it is important to act quickly and clearly.
Firstly, you can carefully remove the visible part of the object yourself, and secondly, you need to call an ambulance medical care. There is no need to leave everything to chance, since a piece that gets inside the body can cause serious consequences. Small pieces can be removed directly, but even these can touch internal organs. If the piece is large, it may get stuck in the stomach for for a long time. In this case, you cannot do without surgery.
Immediate action if glass enters the stomach
If a person immediately notices swallowing glass, then it is best to induce vomiting. The piece will be quickly removed from the body with food and mucus, without causing much damage. If this happens to a child, vomiting must be induced artificially by pressing on the root of the tongue.
After this, even after making sure that the fragment has come out, you need to contact the doctor, describing the situation. He will give advice for subsequent actions and prescribe a study that will detect defects in internal organs, if any.
Urgent actions:
- If the glass does not come out with vomiting, you must immediately call an ambulance, outlining the situation, and prepare for hospitalization.
- If it took more than 2 hours, the parts could have time to move into the intestinal tract and worsen the situation. Then only a highly qualified doctor will decide what to do, who should be informed as clearly as possible about the size of the fragment and the time of the accident.
- X-rays are often ineffective in such situations, since the glass in its reflections does not contrast.
- You shouldn’t count on the fact that the fragment is very small and sit at home until it comes out naturally.
- The use of laxatives and enemas is also not recommended without medical examination.
- If the fragment does not go immediately after vomiting, secondary efforts can be dangerous, therefore, calling a doctor and waiting for an ambulance to arrive would be preferable.
- A lot of activity during this period is also harmful, since every movement can provoke internal injuries.
Small pieces often actually leave the body naturally, causing virtually no inconvenience to their owner. However, you should not count on this, since ignoring it in this case threatens severe injuries and even death.
Small children often swallow glass accidentally. In order to avoid the penetration of glass into the body, you should carefully monitor the child. It is not recommended to allow glass objects to be used for games. Such accessories should be kept out of the reach of children. Parents are required to wean their child from holding various objects in his mouth.
To prevent your child from accidentally falling on glass objects, you should follow following rules:
- We must not forget fragile products in the child’s field of view;
- remove all breakable decorative items from the reach of children;
- If glass object broken - to protect the child by not allowing him to broken glass, and carefully collect everything;
- follow your child while walking outside;
- do not leave the baby alone for a long time;
- Do not feed from glass containers.
Conclusion
Glass - dangerous foreign object. It has the potential to cause fairly serious injury.
Swallowing glass can cause injury to the mouth and digestive tract. Therefore, it is necessary to be careful and, if emergency, take urgent measures.
The child often puts everything in his mouth. If you swallow glass, parents should know what to do. The outcome of this situation depends on the shape, surface and size of the fragment. In any case, there is a risk that sharp object gets stuck in the child's esophagus or intestines. What if a child swallows glass? complex shape or large in size, then it will remain in the stomach.
Before helping a child, parents should calm down. If the baby swallows a splinter in front of her parents, then there is a chance to get it out. In such a situation, adults should open the child’s mouth by pressing their finger on the root of the tongue. Appeared gagging will provoke the release of vomit with saliva and splinter. In this case, the esophagus is not damaged. Then you will need to call an ambulance. The child is hospitalized and examined. Ultrasound and, if necessary, other diagnostic methods are prescribed.
Shards swallowed by children at an unknown time cannot be removed on their own. It will take 2-3 hours for them to move into the intestines. In this case, it is recommended to immediately call an ambulance. Parents should tell the doctor the approximate size of the swallowed glass and the time of the incident. Since such an object is non-contrast in X-rays, this diagnosis ineffective.
If there is a splinter in the esophagus, the child is allowed to eat cereals and decoctions of hard vegetables. For 3 days, parents should monitor the baby's stool. It is contraindicated to induce diarrhea with laxatives or enemas. If you follow all the doctor's recommendations, the glass will come out naturally within the next few days (2-5 days).
If the case in question occurred in nature or in another area where there is no medical center, then parents should adhere to the following recommendations:
- To avoid injury to the mucous membrane, the child needs to drink a thick liquid - yogurt, jelly. Such compositions envelop the walls of the digestive tract. The liquid helps to relax the esophagus, and the trapped fragment will immediately penetrate the stomach. If a child complains of pain and jelly does not help, then the help of a qualified specialist will be required.
- It is forbidden to feed the child solid food and increase intestinal contractility.
2 Difficult situation
If a swallowed fragment gets into the child's trachea, then it is necessary to create physical rest. We serve the baby fresh air, removing the fragment yourself. For children who have swallowed large glass, the Heimlich method is used: the victim must stand up. Mom or dad stands behind the child, hugging his body. One hand is clenched into a fist and applied to the stomach. The second hand presses into the first, applying pressure, making a quick upward push.
If a child who has swallowed a shrapnel has difficulty breathing, then it is recommended to do the following:
- Raise the baby by the legs (head down).
- Shake.
- Exhale strongly with your child.
3 Treatments
In severe cases, urgent hospitalization of the injured child is required. At the hospital, specialists (pediatric surgeon, pediatrician) examine the child. Conducted various methods diagnostics (ultrasound, endoscopic). Then specialists make a diagnosis and determine the level of location of the foreign body. Doctors can:
- monitor the small patient until the glass comes out on its own - for this, the child is given laxatives;
- schedule surgery.
Indications for surgical intervention:
- worsening breathing;
- difficult movement of glass through the gastrointestinal tract.
In 99% of cases, surgeons use endoscopic treatment methods. This method of removing glass from a child’s body is used when the object is located above the duodenum. This is explained by the fact that the endoscope reaches the indicated place. To remove glass, doctors use an endoscopic loop, baskets, or clamps passed through the endoscope. This item is introduced into the child's body through the mouth.
The object is pulled towards the endoscope and then removed. Upon completion of this procedure, a repeat examination of the gastrointestinal tract is indicated. If during the endoscopy the glass is pushed through by the device, then the child is prescribed laxatives. This technique effective if applied within a few hours of the incident.
If the glass is located below the duodenum, then radiography is indicated. You should not drink laxatives. You can use Vaseline oil. If vomiting, pain, fever, or bleeding occur, a laparotomy is performed. This method, unlike abdominal surgery, does not require making a large incision on the anterior wall of the peritoneum. Then a laparoscope is inserted into the cavity.
Abdominal surgical intervention is carried out after determining the location of the foreign body, its size and shape, and the condition of the injured child. But any surgical intervention traumatizes the child’s body, causing various complications.
4 Use of a colonoscope
Less commonly, a swallowed fragment can reach the cecum and sigmoid colon. In such cases, a colonoscope is used. The doctor uses a small camera to examine the intestines. The procedure lasts 45 minutes. The baby is first dressed in a hospital gown or pants with a slit. The little patient is put on an oxygen mask or tubes are passed (to supply oxygen) to the nose. If necessary, the child is given a drip, which will be used to infuse painkillers and sedatives into the body.
Then the child is placed on his left side. The colonoscope is inserted into the intestine. To facilitate the insertion procedure, the doctor uses Vaseline lubricant. At the same time, air is pumped into the organ being examined (to open the lumen and facilitate the movement of the camera). This procedure can cause discomfort and bloating in the baby.
A colonoscope is a flexible instrument that can be easily rotated in the intestine if necessary. The image from the camera is transmitted to the monitor. To remove the fragment, a small instrument is used that is passed through the colonoscope. If the camera is unable to overcome the bend, then surgery is indicated.
To prevent accidental ingestion of glass, you need to carefully monitor your child.
No matter how hard we try to protect the baby from danger, no one is immune from accidents. Therefore, all parents should know how to provide first aid to kid. After all, the baby’s life may depend on the actions of loved ones, especially since emergency situations Sometimes the minutes count.
According to statistics, every year millions of foreign bodies enter the gastrointestinal tract of children. This occurs as a result of careless handling of small objects and due to parental oversight. How not to get confused in such a situation?
Most often, the diagnosis of “foreign body” is made in the early childhood. As soon as babies begin to crawl and then walk, they quickly master territories and objects that were previously inaccessible to them, and some of them should strictly be kept out of the reach of children. Acquaintance with new objects occurs in the most detailed way through all available senses. The child needs to turn and examine the “toy” from all sides, be sure to smell it, and most importantly, determine the degree of its edibility. The result of such curiosity is that objects end up in the mouth, and then into the baby's gastrointestinal tract or respiratory tract.
If you witness such a situation, immediately call an ambulance. The baby must be under medical supervision, even if in the first hours there are no symptoms and he feels well. Foreign bodies with sharp edges (needles, pins, badges, etc.) can get stuck in various parts of the gastrointestinal tract, which increases the risk of puncturing its wall. Large and heavy foreign bodies (for example, a metal ball) that do not come out on their own and remain in the intestine for a long time can cause significant damage to the wall with bleeding or perforation (violation of integrity). Therefore, if a foreign body gets into the gastrointestinal tract, you must make sure that it comes out, for which you carefully examine each child’s stool.
If the child was not in your field of vision when everything happened, identifying the presence of a foreign body in the gastrointestinal tract will be much more difficult. In addition, often children, fearing punishment, hide this fact from their parents.
Typically, babies swallow small things - toys or their parts, coins, buttons, fruit seeds. As a rule, the child does not experience any unpleasant sensations, except for fear. In the future, the baby may not have any complaints, since in most cases small objects come out on their own within 2-3 days.
If an object of considerable size blocks the lumen of the esophagus, then choking immediately appears, profuse drooling, there may be hiccups, belching, nausea, vomiting. Any food and water eaten comes back out.
Be careful of batteries!
Seek medical attention immediately if a battery is found to be a foreign body. In the stomach containing hydrochloric acid, the battery, oxidizing and releasing aggressive substances, can damage the mucous membrane due to chemical burn. Ulcers can form in this area, leading to life-threatening complications. Disc batteries are especially dangerous in the esophagus, where they can quickly cause necrosis and perforation (death and rupture) of the esophagus wall.
A child has swallowed a foreign object: what to do?
As you can see, the baby’s behavior and symptoms will depend on the size, shape, and material of the object that the child swallowed. If you suspect the presence of a foreign body in the gastrointestinal tract, the first step should be to resolve the issue of transporting the baby to the hospital as soon as possible. It is urgent to call an ambulance and take the child to a hospital, preferably to a multidisciplinary one, which has surgical, X-ray, endoscopic, and ultrasound departments available around the clock. In Moscow these are Izmailovskaya Children's City Clinical Hospital, Filatovskaya Children's City Clinical Hospital, St. Vladimir Hospital, etc.
Before the ambulance arrives, parents should not make any attempts to pull out, shake out, or “push” the foreign body further into the stomach (for example, by giving the child bread). Your actions can only cause harm. You cannot feed or give water to a child, including breast milk. You can moisten your lips with water if they are dry. We must try, if possible, to calm the baby down and collect the necessary documents for the hospital: medical insurance for the child and mother.
If the baby is coughing, choking, or choking, you can tap the edge of your palm or fingers on his back between the shoulder blades, directing the blows from bottom to top, throwing the baby over your knee so that top part the body was lowered. A child under 1 year of age is placed face down on the arm, head slightly lowered, index or middle finger The “support” hand is placed in the child’s mouth, opening it, and the free hand is patted on the back. This should not be done if the baby is able to breathe, as sharp pats may dislodge the object in such a way that it blocks or causes swelling in the airway, making breathing very difficult. Do not forget that the main goal of the actions taken is to facilitate breathing (if it is difficult). If there is no difficulty breathing, then you should wait for the ambulance to arrive.
In the hospital: examination and removal
In the emergency department, the child is examined by a pediatrician and a surgeon, and if necessary, additional examinations are carried out: X-ray, endoscopic or ultrasound. It should be remembered that only metallic foreign bodies, stones and some types of glass are visible on an x-ray - plastic and wooden objects are not detected due to the texture of the material. Based on the examination and these research methods, a diagnosis is made and the level of location of the foreign body is determined. The child is left in the hospital and in most cases is observed until the object comes out on its own (usually 2-3 days), with a laxative prescribed.
If urgent removal of a foreign body is necessary or its movement through the gastrointestinal tract is difficult, then in 99% of cases the endoscopic method of treatment helps. This is possible when the foreign body is located no lower than the duodenum, where a fibroesophagogastroduodenoscope can be reached (endoscope 1, with which you can remove a foreign body from the upper parts of the gastrointestinal tract: esophagus, stomach, initial parts of the small intestine). Removal of a foreign body occurs using an endoscopic loop, basket or clamps passed through an endoscope, which is inserted through the mouth 2.
Sometimes a foreign body can be pushed through with a device, and in the future, when taking a laxative, this will help it leave the body naturally faster. If it is not possible to remove the foreign body endoscopically, laparoscopic or abdominal surgery is performed, which is always more traumatic for the body and is associated with a much larger number of possible complications. Laparoscopic surgery differs from abdominal surgery in that a large incision is not made on the anterior abdominal wall, but a laparoscope 3 and special surgical instruments used by surgeons are inserted into the abdominal cavity through small holes. The method of surgical intervention is chosen by the surgeon depending on where the foreign body is located, what its shape and size are, taking into account the child’s condition.
Prevention
You should not leave your baby alone unattended. It is necessary to remove small dangerous objects out of reach of the baby. You should be extremely careful when choosing toys: they should be appropriate for the baby’s age and not have small or easily breakable parts.
1 Endoscope - (Greek endo - “inside”, skopeo - “to examine, examine”) - common name tubular optical instruments with a lighting device, designed for visual examination of body cavities and channels into which the endoscope is inserted through natural or artificial openings.
2 See article "Endoscopy", No. 4, 2007.
3 A laparoscope (Greek lapara - belly, skopeo - “to examine, examine”) is a type of endoscope, which is a metal tube with a complex system of lenses and a light guide. The laparoscope is designed to transmit images from the abdominal cavity of the human body.
Alexey Krasavin, endoscopist,
Izmailovskaya Children's City Clinical Hospital, Moscow
Discussion
Comment on the article "If a child swallows something"
Swallowed batteries. Medical issues. Child from 1 to 3. Raising a child from one to three years: hardening and development, nutrition and illness Section: Medical issues (how long will it take to get sick if you swallow a battery). Swallowed batteries.
Children often put objects in their mouths, and many of the elements contained in Lego can be accidentally swallowed by a child. It is for such cases that barium sulfate is intended. This salt does not dissolve in water, so it is not toxic to the body.
Discussion
my child swallowed a lego head and doesn’t remember whether he swallowed it or it seemed like his throat wasn’t sore, he was breathing well, and it turns out we learned from your website that the lego is made of food-grade plastic, which calmed us down. The son was worried and asked for an X-ray, but as we understood, the plastic is not visible on the X-ray - we are waiting for the results and will eat porridge.
10/05/2018 22:58:18, JayLego contains a substance called barium. This barium is used as contrast in x-rays, so that the detail can be seen on x-rays.
12/12/2017 18:44:37, Alice.....Swallowed a coin. Incidents. Child from 1 to 3. Raising a child from one to three years. And in general, what to do? We already have trouble with the potty (I wrote it yesterday), now it’s a coin.... From an old boyan: If a child swallows a coin. With the first one, you get everyone on their feet...
Swallowed batteries. Tell me, please, maybe there are doctors. If there is a suspicion that 4 days ago a child (2 years old) could have swallowed a round battery, but Tell me, where did it get stuck? How long after the child swallowed did you get an x-ray?
The child has swallowed a foreign object. Doctors, clinics. A child from birth to one year. Care and education of a child up to one year: nutrition The child swallowed a foreign object. My baby was climbing and peeled off the sticker from the bed that covers the screw, small, with a diameter...
URGENTLY! Ate the battery! If a child swallows small item. The child swallowed a small object. First aid, foreign body removal. Typically, babies swallow small things - toys or their parts, coins, buttons, fruit seeds.