What to do if a child swallows a foreign object. What to do if you accidentally swallowed a brace

From about 7 months, children begin to put various toys and objects into their mouths. This is caused by the desire to massage the gums to get rid of itching during teething. Older people can taste something unusual. Between the ages of 1 and 3 years, approximately 20% of children swallow some small items. The pediatrician will tell you how to understand that a child has swallowed a foreign object. The employees of the Daughters-Sons online store will help you choose safe teethers.

Signs that a child has swallowed a foreign object

To prevent your baby from putting small items into his mouth, provide him with safe teethers, especially during the period when his first teeth appear. The “Giraffe” model, made of environmentally friendly plastic, is perfect.

If an infant puts something inedible in its mouth, parents should immediately remove the foreign body. If a baby swallows a tiny product without sharp parts, he may only choke. Swallowing a large, toxic or sharp object causes pain and nausea in the throat and esophagus. Severe vomiting and traces of blood in the stool may occur.

Symptoms if a child swallows a foreign object:

• anxiety caused by abdominal pain;
• nausea and vomiting;
• frequent belching and excessive drooling;
• blood in the stool;
• refusal of any food;
• increase in temperature (cause - intoxication);
• bad mood, crying.

If you detect at least one of the listed symptoms, you should call an ambulance. Small buttons and parts from a rattle can pass out of the body naturally. To be sure, check the contents of the diaper. If the baby is not capricious and behaves normally, you can wait, but no more than two days.

Important!

How can you tell if a child has swallowed a foreign object? When children are still unable or afraid to answer their parents’ questions, it is necessary to undergo an examination: an ultrasound, x-ray or endoscopy. It is necessary to examine the respiratory tract, esophagus and gastrointestinal tract.

The baby should be shown to the pediatrician first. Doing an enema at home, inducing vomiting, or giving laxatives is strictly prohibited. This will spoil the complete picture before the examination.

conclusions

How can you tell if a child has swallowed a foreign object? This may be indicated by vomiting, nausea, crying from severe abdominal pain, detection of mucus or blood in the stool, as well as excessive salivation, high fever and lack of appetite. If you have such signs, you should immediately go to the doctor. Negative consequences can be avoided if you offer your baby educational toys that cannot be disassembled and do not contain sharp parts.

Children are extremely inquisitive and learn about the world by touching and tasting everything. Most little fidgets themselves, without knowing it, can harm themselves by finding some small object, they stick it into various parts of the body, they can even inhale or swallow it. If this happens and your child swallows a foreign body (it’s good if you saw and know what exactly he “ate”), take him to the hospital immediately.

Symptoms indicating the presence of a foreign body in the baby’s body do not always appear, but an x-ray of the esophagus, respiratory tract and bronchi is still worth doing.

Not only children, but also adults sometimes behave inappropriately. So, one girl (Chinese), having argued with her fiancé and in the hope that everything would be digested like ordinary food, ate a couple of dozen pebble stones quite large in size. How wrong she was, with sharp pain in the esophagus and stomach, the young lady was taken to the hospital and was strongly recommended to undergo surgery. However, she resisted and only after talking on a forum about the need for surgical intervention, the Chinese woman agreed and trusted the surgeons.

What to do

The concern of parents when the baby has swallowed a foreign object is quite understandable, especially if the adults do not know what exactly their baby “ate” or how the foreign body got into the esophagus, bronchi and respiratory tract. In principle, a foreign body in the stomach does not pose any particular danger; it passes throughout the gastrointestinal tract and comes out naturally after a few days. A button, bone or bead swallowed by a baby usually does not cause discomfort for children; in this case, parents just need to observe the behavior of their baby and prepare vegetable or fruit puree for him to remove this very item more easily.

However, if the baby swallows a foreign object in the form of a battery, a coin, a fairly large object or an object with sharp ends, then consult a doctor immediately, the consequences can be dire, even fatal. For example, a swallowed battery quickly oxidizes, releasing toxins in the esophagus and stomach, which can lead to death within a few hours, and sharp objects passing through the gastrointestinal tract injure the internal organs of children, causing inflammation and other unpleasant consequences. In the hospital, the baby will undergo an x-ray of the esophagus, an examination and the location of the foreign object will be determined. After which the doctor will determine how it got there and decide exactly how it will be removed.

A foreign body in the stomach can cause a deterioration in the general condition of children, which is accompanied by the following symptoms - pain in the abdomen and esophagus, dizziness, nausea, excessive gas formation in the intestines (bloating). However, it happens that the baby, having taken a foreign object into his mouth, was unable to swallow it and the foreign body remains in the esophagus, this often happens in infants.

The following symptoms occur here: gagging accompanied by coughing, pain in the esophagus and larynx, difficulty breathing in the lungs, and deterioration in general condition. In this case, immediately seek help from a specialist. Untimely assistance can lead to esophageal obstruction, purulent and inflammatory processes. A foreign body in the esophagus in children can cause food to enter the respiratory tract, which most often leads to asphyxia of the lungs, bronchi and further death.

Foreign object in the respiratory tract and bronchi

If a child accidentally inhales a foreign body, it can partially or, worst of all, completely block the oxygen in the baby’s respiratory tract and then adults need to take active action in a matter of seconds. In case of confusion or ignorance, this can lead to cessation of the respiratory tract, bronchi or lungs and death.

Signs of a foreign object in the respiratory tract are a suffocating cough, wheezing in the lungs, possibly with the release of sputum and even blood, shortness of breath, the baby’s cry is muffled, as if strangled, breathing is quite noisy.

A foreign body in the bronchi, trachea and respiratory tract in children is the most dangerous for the life of a little tracker, especially if we are talking about the fact that he inhaled an object of plant origin (seeds, nuts, etc.). They cause swelling, decomposing, provoke inflammation, which complicates the breathing process and the functioning of the bronchi, and infects the body. Being blocked for a long time, the bronchi become inflamed, and this can result in pneumonia, asthma or pneumothorax.

If a foreign body is in the respiratory tract, lungs, bronchi, trachea in children, they should immediately provide first aid - tilt the baby and sharply hit (with the flat side of your palm) between the shoulder blades, the action must be repeated several times. You can take the child in a castle, hug him under the ribs and press sharply, repeating this up to three times in one trip, compressing the bronchi, as if upward, and without fail, call an ambulance.

Foreign body in the nose, eye or ear of a child

While exploring everything around, the baby often pushes all sorts of small objects into his nose (buttons, toy parts, even food and insects). The (primary) signs of a foreign body in a child’s nose are as follows: difficulty breathing due to nasal congestion, redness and irritation, mucous discharge, the child begins to sneeze, and watery eyes appear.

If a foreign body gets into the baby’s nose and the parents do not immediately identify it, then the object begins to decompose (if it is of plant origin), grows into the surrounding tissues, causing considerable discomfort and pain to the baby.

If a foreign object is in the nose or ear in children, secondary symptoms are characteristic - the formation of pus and an unpleasant odor, one-sided headaches and a runny nose. The first thing parents need to do if there is an object in the nose, ear or eye is to put aside panic and begin to act.

Before pulling out a foreign object, first of all, you should calm down and calm the baby down, then drop vasoconstrictor drops into the nostril (they will relieve swelling) and, closing the second, undamaged nostril, ask the baby to blow well with his nose, simulating the process of blowing his nose. If the object does not come out on its own, this indicates that it has been in your baby’s nose for quite a long time and has already fused with the surrounding tissues.

How to get such an “old” foreign body out of a child’s nose? No, or rather, it’s not worth doing this procedure yourself. To do this, most likely you will take tweezers and there is a high risk that you will not only fail to remove the foreign object, but also push it even deeper into the nasal passages. The same applies to children if the object is not in the nose, but in the ear. In this case, only a doctor can help, who, under anesthesia, will save the baby from trouble.

A foreign body in the ear is also a fairly common phenomenon, manifested by deterioration of hearing function, inflammation, purulent discharge, and pain. Foreign objects in children's ears can be living (various insects) and non-living (beads, toy parts).

You can remove the insect by dropping Vaseline oil and glycerin into the baby’s ear, thereby blocking the “bug”’s access to oxygen. After a while it dies, then you should put the baby on the sore ear so that the pest comes out along with the dripped liquid.

A foreign inanimate object, if the parent sees it, can be grabbed with tweezers and carefully removed from the ear with a smooth movement. But if the object is not visible to the naked eye, you should not pick and try to find it, go to the doctor, thanks to special equipment, a specialist will quickly remove the foreign body.

If a foreign body is in a child's eye, you can try to remove it using a clean tissue or cotton swab. You should act very carefully so as not to damage the mucous membrane of the eye. Then apply chloramphenicol drops to relieve irritation. If these manipulations do not help, you should contact an ophthalmologist.

Anyone can swallow a foreign body. Objects may be inhaled, swallowed, become lodged in the throat or stomach, or become embedded in soft tissue. 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 can swallow objects to attract attention, also due to an absurd accident, including during play, due to an 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 pieces to get stuck in the esophagus, which often occurs in people with certain pathological changes in the 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 for dealing with the accidental ingestion of a foreign object, it is reasonable to classify foreign bodies by material, size, shape and chemical composition, since 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:

1. Size:
   • length more/less than 6 cm.
2. Surface Shape:
   • sharp/pointed-blunt;
   • rounded / with sharp or torn edges;
   • rounded/with smooth blunt edges.
3. Material/contents, for example:
   • food related;
   • medicines;
   • batteries;
   • magnets;
   • plastic and rubber items (buttons and beads, cellophane, a piece of plastic).
4. 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 object has several such characteristics (for example, at the same time: sharp, large, 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 of the digestive tract.

Dangerous and non-hazardous foreign bodies - table

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 requiring immediate medical intervention:

An element stuck in the body for a long time 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, it is necessary to determine whether the victim needs outside help 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. Coughing is the most effective way 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:

1. Place your fist just above your navel, with your thumb facing you;
2. 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 or damage to the intestine or esophagus, the problem requires emergency surgery 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 at high risk of esophageal death. If such a scenario is suspected, parents should seek help immediately.

Perforation of the esophagus leads to purulent inflammation of the 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 babies 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 of all ages can swallow foreign objects. In most cases, the 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.

Babies are creatures that require constant attention and control. As soon as they have learned to crawl and walk, reach shelves and drawers, parents need to remember that the child explores the world with his hands and mouth, which means there is a high probability of putting something in this very mouth and swallowing or inhaling. A condition where a child swallows or inhales a foreign body can be life-threatening and life-threatening. Therefore, you need to know how it manifests itself, why it is dangerous and what to do.

Foreign bodies in the digestive system
In pediatric surgery, foreign bodies, especially in children in the first years of life, are not uncommon; doctors even collect their own museums of what is found in the bodies of children. According to statistics, every fourth child aged from one year to 5-6 years has swallowed foreign objects at least once in his life, greatly frightening his parents.
Putting toys and objects into the mouth is one of the stages of a baby’s development, the “oral stage” of learning about the world, in this way the child receives information about the shape, properties and taste of objects. And the task of parents is to make learning the world through the mouth safe. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully monitor what gets into the baby’s hands and mouth: these should be large objects and safe surfaces. However, we are all human, we are often forgetful and absent-minded, and it is not always possible to keep track of the baby.
Most often, foreign objects fall during games if the baby is very interested in some object. The outcome will depend on the size, shape, surface and type of object; not all of them are dangerous for the baby. Small foreign bodies can easily leave the body on their own. Parents will be happy to find something missing at the bottom of the pot. However, there is always a chance that the swallowed object will become stuck in the esophagus or intestines. Only fairly large or complexly shaped objects can remain in the stomach.
If a foreign body is in the esophagus

This is a very dangerous situation, since the child’s esophagus is very sensitive and vulnerable. In addition, it has muscle groups that can spasm when irritated by the edges of an object and lead to complications. Therefore, you need to know what should alert you to your child’s well-being. First of all, when swallowing, the child will complain of pain, and he will point to the sternum area and inside the chest. In addition, when swallowing saliva, he will complain of discomfort, and he may not even be able to swallow solid food. Dangerous in children is the appearance of nausea and vomiting, as well as coughing. If such symptoms occur in a child, immediately contact the nearest hospital and undergo an examination. Delay in the event of such symptoms is dangerous due to perforation (formation of a hole) of the esophagus with bleeding and the entry of food into the chest area - this is life-threatening.
Foreign body in the digestive system

Often, when parents discover that the baby has swallowed something, but it does not manifest itself in any way externally and does not cause discomfort, then mom and dad choose a wait-and-see approach. However, it is not always possible to wait for the release of a foreign body, even if the baby is apparently healthy. There is a category of objects that are dangerous by the very fact of their presence in the digestive system; waiting for them to appear in the pot is very dangerous for the health, and sometimes even for the life of the baby.
So, potentially dangerous, and therefore requiring immediate assistance from a specialist, include:
needles, pins, pushpins, paper clips, toothpicks, fishhooks, nails, and other very sharp and small objects
objects from three centimeters in length
batteries and batteries of any type and type - watch, finger, little finger, from toys
magnets, especially if the child has swallowed more than one
glass, pieces of ceramics with sharp edges
large fruit pits - peach, apricot, plum

It is possible to monitor a child if he has swallowed an object of a streamlined shape (buttons, rounded stones, balls, coins) and small size. Then the waiting period will be from one to 3-4 days with constant careful examination of the child’s stool. If during this time the item is not found in the contents of the pot, you should consult a doctor.
In the case where you did not see the swallowing process with your own eyes (for example, you scattered coins and pulled them into your mouth), a thorough inspection of the apartment would be useful. Perhaps the item rolled under a sofa or closet, and you don't need to worry.
What is possible and what is not?
A common mistake parents make is giving their child a series of enemas, or using laxatives to make the object come out faster. This is unacceptable, since a foreign body in itself is a stress for the digestive system, and acceleration of its work can lead to injury to organs by the edges of the object, or it getting stuck in the intestines and the formation of intestinal obstruction.
If you are absolutely sure that the child has swallowed a dangerous object, call an ambulance and, until it arrives, do not attempt to remove it yourself, so as not to cause additional injury. You should not try to shake out the object, push it further with a crust of bread, you should not give water or feed the child (if the object is large, has sharp edges and requires removal).
If it is a small coin, a button or a small ball, an object with smooth edges, up to 1-2 cm in size, some measures can help the child remove the foreign object from the body - for example, eating foods rich in fiber - fruits, vegetables or bran.
If you are not sure that the object was swallowed, and also if you do not know exactly what the baby swallowed, carefully monitor his condition for three days; if any disturbing symptoms appear, immediately seek help from surgeons at the children's hospital. Such dangerous manifestations include:
abdominal pain, localized or diffuse, which does not subside, but on the contrary, intensifies
the child experiences nausea, vomiting, usually repeated
the child has blood in the stool after or between bowel movements
any other unclear symptom that was not present before the child swallowed the object

All these manifestations require immediate inspection; it is better to play it safe and thereby avoid danger.
Foreign body in the respiratory system
From the mouth, a foreign body can fall either into the esophagus or into the respiratory tract. The latter circumstance is much more dangerous, as it leads to disruption of the supply of oxygen to the lungs. A special feature of a child’s respiratory tract is that it looks like branching tubes of decreasing diameter. The entrance to the larynx is through the vocal cords, which close tightly and prevent the foreign body from coming out. In addition, a child’s trachea and bronchi are pliable and soft; when coughing, a foreign body can be “hammered” into them. If the body is large enough to block the trachea, suffocation and death can occur. When it enters a large bronchus, varying degrees of respiratory failure are formed.
Most often, children from one to 3-5 years of age suffer, who put everything in their mouths, and in addition, this often happens when playing, pampering, laughing, crying, talking at the table. Most often, seeds, nuts, pieces of food, beans, grains, sunflower seeds, husks, small toys, balls, candies, and threads enter the respiratory system.
How does this manifest itself?

The right bronchus is most often affected; it is wider and larger, therefore, first of all, a paroxysmal cough, weakened breathing, and a lot of whistling noises in the lungs are noted. In addition, there is a sign of severe stenosis of the upper respiratory tract - suffocation with prolongation of inhalation, blueness of the face, sensation of a foreign body and a wheezing voice. If a foreign body is stuck in the trachea, you may hear a popping sound when you scream or cry. In addition, a foreign body is also dangerous due to complications - especially if it is food products with oil or fat. Chemical bronchitis, pneumonia, and purulent abscess may develop. If a foreign body perforates a bronchus, this can lead to mediastinitis - a purulent inflammation of the chest cavity that is life-threatening.
If you notice such symptoms, immediately call an ambulance or go to the hospital yourself. Do not try to remove a foreign body yourself if the child can breathe, even if he cannot control the cough.
If the child turns blue, there are attacks of suffocation, urgently call resuscitation, and before its arrival, try to remove the foreign body using some techniques.
For a child up to one year old
Place his stomach on your forearm, supporting his chin and back, face down, head at about a 60-degree downward angle. Apply about 5 blows between the shoulder blades with the edge of your palm, look into your mouth to see if a foreign body has come out. If there is no result, we place the child with his back to his knees, placing his head below the level of the butt, perform 4-5 pushes just below the nipples of the breast, without pressing on the stomach, if the body comes out, remove it. If all else fails, before the ambulance arrives, try to perform artificial ventilation and repeat the techniques.
For a child over one year old
Go behind the baby, wrap your arms around his waist, and press on his stomach between the navel and the xiphoid process. It is necessary to make a sharp push upward, 4-5 times with an interval of 3-5 seconds; if the foreign body comes out, it is removed. If not, repeat the actions and calm the child.
How are they treated?

Children with foreign bodies are hospitalized in the pediatric surgical department. The first step is to clarify where the foreign body is stuck and what its nature is. If it is an iron, radiopaque body, it is easy to detect on an x-ray. But food and plastic are not visible on X-rays. Often, for diagnosis and simultaneous treatment, endoscopy of the digestive or respiratory system is used. A thin tube with a camera and forceps at the end is inserted into the esophagus, stomach and intestines, their walls and contents are examined, the body is grasped and removed. The procedure is sometimes performed even without anesthesia.
With the bronchi, everything is more complicated - all manipulations there are done only under anesthesia, otherwise the glottis will close and the device will not pass through. After this, the child is monitored, and if necessary, antibiotics are prescribed to prevent infection of the bronchi and lungs.
Precautionary measures
Most often, such incidents are the result of parental carelessness. Therefore, as soon as the baby starts crawling, walk on all fours throughout the apartment and remove all small and dangerous objects from his access area. Buy toys that are appropriate for their age, without small parts and durable ones that the baby cannot break or break. Do not leave your child to play with coins, buttons, or cereals unattended. If you need to leave the room, carefully inspect the toys, or better yet, take the baby with you. Do not let your playing child out of your line of sight!

It is common for a small child to explore the world not only with the help of standard senses, but also with the sense of taste, so most babies put whatever they like into their mouths - toys, books or a dirty shoe. Most of these items do not pose a risk to the health of the baby, unless pathogenic bacteria enter the stomach with them. However, other situations also happen - the parents did not take care of the child and he swallowed something that could harm the body and even lead to death.

If a child swallows a battery

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

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

What is the threat?

• Electrical burn of the mucous membranes due to the voltage generated in the humid environment.
• Electrochemical burn. When electrolyte leaks out, tissue integrity is compromised.

Symptoms that should alert you:

• profuse drooling;
• 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 over, etc.

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

The main methods are the use of a fibrogastroscope, the surgical method, gastric lavage and the use of enemas and laxatives. The battery is removed under general anesthesia, as the process is quite complex.

If a child swallows a ball

Many mothers and fathers are interested in what will happen if a child swallows a metal ball. Most often, these are balls from magnetic construction sets that connect sticks with magnets; most children aged three years and older have these.

Doctors strongly recommend going to the hospital immediately; the baby should be observed by a specialist for some time, even if there are no visible symptoms and the child feels well. Swallowing metal objects most often causes unpleasant health consequences. Metal balls (especially when there are several of them) cause damage to the intestinal wall and bleeding, which is why it is so important to make sure that the foreign object is removed from the body.

If a child swallows a coin

First, let's decide what absolutely cannot be done if a child swallows a coin, and this is:

• 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 remove it.

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

If the condition of the baby causes you concern, take an x-ray; it will show exactly where the coin is and 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.

If a child swallowed glass

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

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

After two hours, the object ends up in the intestines; nothing can be done; even radiography cannot reveal its presence. Feed your baby porridge and boiled vegetables to remove the splinter naturally. It is forbidden to induce diarrhea - 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 remains 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 eliminated from the body with digested food. It’s another matter if the baby complains of abdominal pain, nausea and is capricious, in this case it would be a good idea to see a doctor.

What negative consequences can occur when swallowing chewing gum?

If a child swallows a tooth

There are times when a child accidentally swallows a loose baby tooth, often while eating. Parents have a reasonable concern: will it damage internal organs? There is no need to panic, unless, of course, the child choked on an object.

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

If a child swallows a toy

In the practice of pediatric surgeons, the removal of foreign objects most often occurs from one to three years of age, 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 entire collections of things extracted from the esophagus and stomachs of children.

While playing, children pull an object that interests them into their mouths, for example, a piece 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 at all dangerous and leave the body unhindered.

Particularly “popular” among children are small plastic parts from construction sets, caps from felt-tip pens, etc. Due to the special structure of the larynx of young children (adults have a supraglottic 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, difficulty breathing and a hoarse voice. It's good if your baby is able to clear his throat on his own, but if you see him begin to lose consciousness, immediately use methods to remove 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 brightly coated tablets.

Common symptoms:

• redness or paleness of the skin;
• dilated pupils;
• nausea, vomiting;
• stomach ache;
• cold sweat;
• elevated temperature;
• convulsions;
• cardiopalmus.

If the baby is talking, ask him how many pills he took, when it happened, what the names of the swallowed drugs are and what he is complaining about. After this, call an ambulance and give the doctors all the information, so they will determine the possible effect of the drugs on the body and select treatment. The child will most likely be examined, regardless of whether external symptoms exist or not. The drugs are not immediately absorbed into the blood; until then, it will be difficult to determine the extent of their effect.

If a child swallows mercury

Probably, almost every family has had a thermometer broken at least once; everyone knows the damage to health caused by inhaling mercury vapor; this dangerous chemical poisons the body to the point of death. But what to do when a child swallows mercury?

Immediately induce vomiting in the victim and call an ambulance; doctors will perform a gastric lavage and hospitalize the child to monitor his condition. In most cases, mercury balls pass through the esophagus and are excreted along with bowel movements, without causing significant harm to health. It’s worse when children start playing with the substance, inhaling its vapors at the same time, so be sure to keep the thermometer out of the child’s reach.