What should I do if my child accidentally swallows buttons or coins? Doctors warn parents: Delay in seeking medical treatment may require "esophageal reconstruction"
If a child accidentally eats buttons, coins and other small objects, what should be the first step to deal with them? Dr. Zeng Wenyu of the Department of Pediatrics at Renai Chang Gung Memorial Union Hospital reminds that children must make prompt decisions and send them to the hospital immediately if they swallow foreign objects. If the rescue time is delayed, it is likely to cause the child’s esophagus to rupture or even require reconstruction of the esophagus. I am afraid that the child will become " A lifelong regret."
A 3-year-old boy was rushed to the hospital after accidentally eating a coin! Medical “this technique” successfully resolves the crisis
Dr. Zeng Wenyu said that he had previously treated a 3-year-old boy who was rushed to the emergency room because he was suspected of swallowing a foreign body. After medical history and physical examination, it was found that although the boy had no respiratory distress, subcutaneous emphysema, and no stridor breath sounds etc., but symptoms such as sore throat and discomfort in swallowing still occur. After chest X-ray examination, it was shown that there was a ring-shaped flat foreign body in his esophagus, which was diagnosed as a pediatric esophageal foreign body.
After confirming the boy’s condition, Dr. Jiang Hongyi from the emergency room immediately consulted Dr. Zeng Wenyu and urgently arranged for a gastroenteroscopy foreign body clipping operation under general anesthesia. After 2 hours, the one-yuan coin was finally successfully removed, which made the parents relieved. Dr. Jiang Hongyi said that swallowing foreign objects is usually an accidental event. Parents should pay special attention to the safety of preschool children, especially children who may stuff things into their mouths as soon as they get them, which may lead to accidents.
“4 items” are most commonly swallowed by children! Doctor: Falling into the respiratory tract may cause secondary injury
Dr. Zeng Wenyu pointed out that items such as coins, buttons, medicines or batteries are likely to be swallowed by children. If parents find that their children have swallowed foreign objects due to accidents, they must seek medical treatment in time; if the rescue time is delayed, it is likely to cause Children’s esophagus ruptures and even requires esophageal reconstruction, leading to irreparable regrets.
Dr. Zeng Wenyu also reminded parents that after arriving at the hospital, they should explain the incident to the medical staff as much as possible, such as the time when the child swallowed the foreign object, the type of foreign object and the symptoms of the child, etc., and provide the remaining items or drug packaging to the medical staff for reference. in order to make a correct medical diagnosis. After identifying whether it is a foreign body that needs to be clipped, the endoscopic team of the gastroenterology department and the operating room will be contacted to perform endoscopic foreign body clipping.
Since it may take a long time to clamp the foreign body, intubation in the operating room is the safest way to protect the foreign body from falling into the respiratory tract and causing secondary injury during the removal process. After the gastroscope enters the esophagus and stomach, appropriate tools will be selected based on the type of foreign body to help remove the foreign body. If the foreign body is not seen after entering the stomach, it should be considered that the foreign body may have entered the small intestine. At this time, one can only observe and wait for the foreign body to be discharged, or unfortunately, it may be punctured and then removed by surgery.
Never let children play with batteries and magnets! Ingestion may cause heartburn and gastric perforation
Because there are often slight wounds in the esophagus or stomach after the foreign body is removed, the patient is usually observed in the children’s ward for a few days and is discharged after eating is stable. Since young children easily put things within reach into their mouths, all small or sharp objects, such as buttons, coins, batteries, magnets, needles, small plastic toys, and buckyballs, etc., should be kept in the Keep out of reach of children.
Dr. Jiang Hongyi emphasized that the above-mentioned items are particularly dangerous with “batteries” and more than two “magnets”. Batteries can easily cause burns or even perforation in the esophagus and stomach; two magnets may cause ischemia and necrosis by clamping tissue. Parents must not be careless. Therefore, when a child accidentally eats a foreign object, do not use instruments or hands to try to remove the foreign object. It is the safest and wisest choice to send the child to the doctor as soon as possible.
Extended reading:
