What To Do If My Child Swallows An Object?

Swallowing an object is a relatively trivial incident in children. You should not panic; only act quickly in those exceptionally important cases that require medical help. 

In some cases, you will have to go to the hospital to have an X-ray taken to locate the object inside the child and control the situation; it all depends on the size and shape of the object in relation to the age of the child.

You must bear in mind that only those foreign bodies located in the esophagus, as well as those with a volume incompatible with the transit through the digestive tract, will be extracted by endoscopy.

If there are no negative symptoms, there is generally no medical emergency; however, it is best to consult a professional, when in doubt. On the other hand, if there is an ingestion of toxic objects, it is essential to consult a doctor urgently to avoid any complications.

What should I do if my child swallows an object?

In those cases in which the child cannot speak or has difficulty breathing, it is necessary that you apply the following tips:

• Stand behind him and place your arms on his chest.
• Lean the child forward at the waist, until the upper airway is parallel to the floor.
• With the other hand, give him five firm blows between the shoulder blades.
• If the object hasn’t come off, make a fist with one hand and place it just above your belly button; put your other hand on your fist and perform 5 quick blows in and up on the abdomen.
• Continue the cycle above  until the object falls off or the child begins to breathe or cough.
• If you lose consciousness, seek emergency medical help.
• Practice  CPR, if you can.
• If the little one can talk, reassure him and ask him what he has swallowed.

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

• Do not panic:  you must remain calm, despite the anguish and anxiety, so as not to make your child nervous and act effectively.
• In no way try to extract it with dangerous maneuvers:  these actions are destined to fail.
• Do not try to make him vomit: you  expose the child to inhalation of gastric contents.
• Do not hit him on the back or give him liquids:  these actions can move the swallowed item and turn the partial obstruction into a total obstruction.

In which cases should I go to the hospital if my child swallows an object?

You must remain alert if your child swallows an object, as the following cases will require medical attention:

• Pain in the throat and neck.
• If you cough and breathe with difficulty, as the object can lodge in the airways.

• You vomit and have a stomach ache.
• Cannot swallow saliva.
• The swallowed object is a battery, a magnet or is pointed.
• Your skin is pale or bluish.
• You have symptoms of suffocation.

How can I prevent my child from swallowing an object?

• Don’t let him play with objects that are too small.
• Supervise the child during meals and cut the food into small pieces.
• Introduce solid foods into your diet.
• Teach him to eat calmly, to not talk with your mouth full and chewing well.

• Prevent children from walking, running, or playing with food or toys in their mouths.
• Children under the age of 4 should not eat foods that they cannot digest easily, such as candy, popcorn, or whole nuts.
• You should not feed him when he is crying.
• Make sure that he plays with toys that are ideal for his age and that they do not contain small parts.

Finally, keep in mind that l ost swallowed objects will be eliminated in the stool or two days after your child swallow the object. Therefore, it will be enough to monitor the stool for a few days to see if it has been expelled, although in some cases the expulsion can take up to 3 weeks.