What to Do when a Child Swallows a Foreign Object

We all remember the incident as children when a friend or sibling put something into their mouth and swallowed it. Panicked adults consulted as they tried to decide whether to call an ambulance, jump into the car to rush the child to the hospital, contact the doctor, or do nothing since whatever was swallowed “would probably pass.”

The truth is, if a person swallows an object it usually does pass through the digestive system causing no harm. How do we determine, then, when something is swallowed what is, and is not, a dangerous situation?

The esophagus is the tube which connects your throat and stomach. If a swallowed object becomes caught in the esophagus it might block the airway. If the object is pointed it could damage the esophageal lining. In both of these cases, the object must be quickly removed.

Emergency room doctors increasingly see small children who have swallowed tiny watches or batteries. These must be immediately removed, as they contain acids which could harm any number of areas in the body.

If you find yourself responsible for removing an object which someone has swallowed, the most effective method is using the well-known Heimlich method.

In any event, talk with your pediatrician about how he or she determines what he would do if his own child swallows something. It will provide you with important information for evaluating your options if a child swallows a foreign object.