A foreign body in a baby's stomach is a common problem. The youngest most often swallow pieces of toys or buttons. However, the greatest danger occurs when a child swallows batteries and various types of detergents, e.g. pellets for unblocking pipes, because swallowing them poses a threat to the child's life. Check the consequences of a child swallowing a foreign body and how to properly provide first aid when it happens.

Foreign body in a child's stomachis usually a fragment of a toy, a button, a bottle cap or a coin. Children can also swallow candy-like batteries, magnets or pellets to unblock pipes, which are a direct threat to their lives. Theingestion of a foreign body by a childoccurs most often while playing, i.e. when alone or with peers. As a result, it may be difficult for parents to recognize the presence of a foreign body in their child's stomach.

Foreign body in baby's stomach - symptoms

How to check if a child has swallowed batteries , a coin or other object?What are the symptoms of swallowing a batteryor some other foreign body? Small, mildly shaped foreign bodies can pass through the digestive tract without any discomfort and then be excreted naturally. Larger foreign bodies (over 2 cm), as well as those with sharp edges, may be retained in various sections of the gastrointestinal tract, e.g. in the duodenal loop or in the hepatic and splenic folds of the large intestine. Then the child becomes grumpy and refuses to eat because of difficulty or inability to swallow. At the same time, she may complain of abdominal pain, usually accompanied by crying. In addition, drooling and a gag reflex appear. Respiratory symptoms such as coughing, choking, and even shortness of breath can also be a helpful hint.

Nickel allergy may cause rash if a battery that contains nickel is swallowed. It's worse if you swallow a mercury battery, which can be found, for example, in watches or children's toys. Then poisoning with mercury compounds may occur, which is manifested by lethargy or over-stimulation, convulsions, and in the youngest children diaper dermatitis.

Tolate symptoms of foreign body ingestion may include:

  • increasing dysphagia
  • no weight gain
  • changing eating habits
  • recurrent bronchitis and pneumonia
  • hemoptysis
  • passing blood stools

What happens to a child who swallows a battery?

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Important

Apart from sharp-edged objects, batteries for electronic devices pose a great threat to the he alth and life of a child. They can unseal in the digestive tract and release a corrosive substance (e.g. potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, mercury oxide), which causes damage to the gastrointestinal wall in the form of chemical burns, necrosis and even its perforation.

The magnets that attract each other are also dangerous. If swallowed magnets catch a section of the intestinal wall between them, they will press against it, causing ischemia and, consequently, necrosis of the intestine.

It is equally dangerous for a child to drink or eat cleaning products that are usually at home within the reach of children. The caustic pellets for unblocking the pipes are a particular threat to the he alth and life of the child, as they may resemble candies. For example, wood preservatives and other chemicals that are often found in food drink bottles have similar toxic properties.

Foreign body in the baby's stomach - what to do? First aid in case of ingestion of a foreign body by a child

First aid when a child swallows a foreign bodyis limited to the possible unblocking of the respiratory tract, as well as to performing first aid measures in the event of a child choking. In such a situation, you should also call an ambulance as soon as possible. Medical consultation is also needed when the child does not complain of symptoms related to the presence of a foreign body in the stomach.

The method of removing a foreign body from a child's digestive tract depends on the type (shape and quantity) of the foreign body, its location in the digestive tract, and the symptoms caused by the foreign body retention. The most effective and safest method is endoscopy. When the mucosa is clearly damaged, the doctor may decide to administer antibiotics and drugs that inhibit gastric secretion. X-rays should also be performed to exclude possible perforation, and if esophageal stricture is suspected, the doctor may perform a contrast test. Surgical treatment is used when there is a risk of complicationsrelated to an attempt to remove a foreign body with an endoscope is too high.

Swallowing a foreign body by a child - complications

Swallowing a foreign body by a childmay lead, depending on the type of foreign body, e.g. to perforation, mediastinitis, foreign body displacement, bleeding, swelling or erosions and ulceration of the gastrointestinal mucosa, or even the death of a child.

How to help a child who has choked?

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