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For more helpful information you can click here for the Ask Children's Hospital news columns. Coins and other small objects can cost toddlers their lives How often have you heard about a toddler swallowing a foreign object — maybe a penny or a battery? No matter what it is, it's vital for parents to keep small objects where curious toddlers can't reach them. Teach children early that these items are not to be put in the mouth. Coins are among the most common objects children swallow. People mistakenly think that coins are benign. Although most pennies will pass quickly through your child's system, they can be dangerous when they become lodged. Pennies minted after 1982 are made almost entirely of zinc. Mixed with stomach acid, they can become as corrosive as car battery acid. Once babies begin crawling, they explore — and taste — everything they can get their hands on. Everything from aquarium pebbles to earrings to drill bits provokes curiosity. I once removed a lodged penny from a baby just two months old. The baby's two-year-old brother had fed it to him. The most unusual item I have removed was an arrowhead. The scariest one was a two and one-half-inch deck screw. The screw was very sharp and it was firmly lodged in the child's stomach. It was extremely difficult to remove in a safe way. Another common item that can cause serious damage is a battery, particularly the tiny button type batteries used in watches, hearing aids, cameras and electronic gadgets. These batteries contain corrosive alkali and may contain life-threatening quantities of mercury. When released in the stomach or intestine, battery fluid may eat through the lining. If you know your child has swallowed a battery of any type, seek medical attention immediately. Symptoms of complications include abdominal pain and tenderness, constipation, vomiting and fever. Caustic ingestions of household powders and liquids can cause serious burns in the mouth and esophagus. I've seen cases where a parent borrows a cup of detergent from a neighbor and sets it down on the coffee table to answer the phone. In a split second, a curious child can ingest enough to cause harm. Symptoms include burns on the lips or in the mouth. There may also be wheezing due to respiratory complications. Because 60–80 percent of these caustic ingestion cases may have swollen air passages, the child may stay on a ventilator for four or five days. A burn in the esophagus can cause life-long problems. If you suspect your child has ingested a caustic substance, call 911 immediately. Don't assume the child is out of danger if it looks like there is only a small burn.Older children may choke on hot dogs, pieces of meat or large bites of food, which can become lodged in the esophagus. When toddlers run around while eating, they are more likely to swallow poorly chewed meat, which can get lodged in the esophagus. The main thing parents, babysitters, grandparents and care givers should know is that this does happen. It's important to educate friends and family to minimize your child's risk. The best action is prevention. Children's Hospital offers these tips to protect your child:
Warning signs of ingesting a foreign object include gagging, drooling and sometimes coughing. A swallowed object can close your child's air passage. If your child has swallowed a foreign object or substance:
Caustic Household substances include detergents, pool cleaning chemicals, drain cleaners, hair relaxers and many types of cleaning products in powder or liquid form. Each year Children's Hospital cares for more than 74,000 infants, children and adolescents. As a major pediatric referral center, Children's Hospital maintains more than 30 medical subspecialties devoted strictly to children. Dr. Amarnath: |
