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In the United States, health and safety experts are alarmed by the multiplication of cases of foreign body ingestion
in young children over the last two decades.
The number of children under six accidentally swallowing foreign bodies has almost doubled in the space of 20 years. From a minimum of 22,000 cases registered in 1995, it increased to 43,000 in 2015.
The accident rate of this type also rose from nearly 10 per 10,000 emergency department visits in 1995 to 18 per 10,000 visits in 2015.
These results are featured
in the journal Pediatrics
.
Ingestion of foreign bodies in young children
Dr. Danielle Orsagh-Yentis, an expert in gastrointestinal disorders at the Nationwide Children's Hospital of Ohio, led a team to investigate
ingestion of foreign bodies in American children. They examined nearly 800,000 cases over a 20-year period.
Here are some results of the study:
More than half (53%) of emergency visits involved young boys.
More than three-fifths (62%) of the patients were children aged 1 to 3 years.
Foreign objects most frequently swallowed by children are coins (61.7%), followed by toys (10.3%), jewelery (7%) and batteries (6.8%).
The most common items ingested by children are pennies (65.9%).
The most commonly ingested batteries are button cells (85.9%).
Although a majority (89.7%) of patients were sent home without hospitalization, there were also cases where children sustained serious internal injuries and even death.
.
Powerful batteries and magnets were two of the biggest threats to children's safety because of their potential to cause serious injury.
Button cells are small enough to be easily swallowed by young children. These devices can lodge in the patient's esophagus and burn holes throughout the organ. This can lead to chronic respiratory problems and infections.
During this time, a small number (2%) of foreign body ingestion cases involved strong magnets. If two such devices were to enter the body, they could attract and pinch the intestines. This could prevent the normal flow of blood and cause serious damage to the organs.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has already issued strong warnings about the continued use of button cells and magnets in consumer products.
Child safety advocates urged parents and caretakers
always be alert when dealing with children. They must make sure that small items, such as batteries, buttons, coins, jewelry and magnets are out of the sight and reach of children.
What to do if a child accidentally swallows a foreign object
There are several signs that parents should be careful
to find out if their child accidentally swallowed a foreign object, according to the advised website Being the Parent.com.
If the foreign body could reach the child's stomach, it is likely that he will also be able to pbad through the colon and then be expelled with his stool.
However, if the object remains stuck in the victim's esophagus, the following symptoms may appear:
Drool or drop of saliva continually from the mouth
Having difficulty swallowing food or drink
Vomiting
Feeling pain in the chest or neck
Sudden fever
If the object gets lodged in the stomach or intestines, it can cause vomiting, abdominal pain and abnormal intestinal noises. It could also damage the intestinal walls, resulting in bloody stools.
Health experts recommend calling a doctor immediately if a child accidentally ingests a foreign object. It is not advisable for parents or caretakers to force victims to vomit or give them laxatives to push the object out of their system. It is also not a good idea to make them eat food.
Doctors will ask their victims to undergo an x-ray or endoscopy to determine exactly where the object is. They will then determine which drug can be used to help patients poop.
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