What to do when your child swallows an object

As a parent, you already know that kids love to put things in their mouth. Gumming, chewing and tasting objects are just one way your kid learns to experience the world around them. It’s a perfectly normal part of their development.

However, there are times when a child accidentally swallows an object and the seemingly routine action of putting something in their mouth turns into a potentially dangerous situation. For parents, it can be absolutely terrifying.

Listed below are a number of things you should be aware of in case your child swallows an object.

Objects That Come Out On Their Own: Your child will swallow plenty of items that will come out on their own, like a coin or a button. However, that doesn’t mean they’re not potentially dangerous or deadly. Magnet balls are small and may pass through on their own; however, if more than one magnet is swallowed, they can come in contact with each other and tear through stomach and gut linings.

Objects That Don’t Come Out On Their Own: If your child swallows a large, jagged or sharp object, it will not be able to pass through his system on its own. Even worse, it can lodge or cut into his throat or bodily organs, causing serious damage like internal bleeding.

Read also: 10 Things you do to children as acts of love, but are not

When To Call For Help: If your child is choking or having trouble breathing (wheezing, coughing), call for help immediately. Never try to stick your finger in your child’s throat to dislodge an item unless you see it; otherwise, you risk pushing the object further down into the airway.

Signs Your Child Has Swallowed Something: Try as you might, you can’t keep an eye on your child every waking second, which means there will be moments that you aren’t looking and something could get swallowed.

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