What to do if a child swallows a bone or object? First aid if a child is choking

What to do? We swallowed a plum pit. Day 6!

Girls, what to do?
I can no longer remain silent. What should I do? Who had it? Swallowed a bone on Thursday. In the morning, I read the Internet and was horrified. I went to the emergency room. I'm worried about the plum pit because it's quite big and has sharp edges. At the emergency room they smiled at me, “what a mommy, she’s been reading too much on the Internet.” The child’s stool is rare. Happens every other day. In actually 6 days - 3 times. There is no bone. On Saturday I went to the regiment to see the doctor on duty and told me to give laxatives and give me a massage. On Monday, that is, yesterday, I visited our pediatrician, she told me to feed her more and in no case give her a massage, and not to give her laxatives. She didn’t give me laxatives, only the first time, out of fear, I gave her a spoonful of Vaseline oil. I give you prunes. We eat poorly. The child does not complain about anything. Well, I've been in shock for 6 days! What's taking so long? Maybe it’s stuck somewhere and will have to be surgically removed? They refused to take any pictures for us, because the bone is still not visible in the picture. I'm very worried.

Didn't anyone swallow it? Have you heard anything from your friends/acquaintances?

Our bone didn't come out. On the 12th day in the village they gave us a referral to the hospital. There they took blood, did an ultrasound - everything was normal. Naturally, the ultrasound does not show the bone. They gave an enema. There was no bone! The doctor said it might have softened due to stomach juice. We don't have gastric juice! But I still have doubts, all people are like people, they jump out, but here...

Are cherry pits dangerous?

A child swallowed a cherry pit, what should I do? Perhaps every second parent of a tomboy personally faces a similar question when he actively explores the world and gets acquainted with the taste of everything that surrounds him. Indeed, in the summer it is very difficult to keep track of the movements of a child in the first years of life, which is why one has to deal with troubles such as eaten bones. In such cases, the first thing the baby’s parents should do is calm down and think logically.

Cherry pits themselves do not pose a threat to the body of small children, since they do not have sharp edges, are small in size and have a smooth surface.

Therefore, eaten and undigested remains of small cherries will most likely leave the child’s digestive tract naturally within a day, and the problem that the child swallowed a cherry pit will disappear by itself. To make sure that the bone really came out, it is enough to find it in the pot along with the feces.

It’s another matter when the baby ate a large number of cherry pits, or they were in a damaged state, that is, with cracks, sharp, jagged edges, chips. In this case, it is better to show the child to a doctor. It should be understood that such a condition can pose a danger to the child’s body, causing the development of such emergency conditions as acute intestinal obstruction and inflammation of the appendix. Also, uneven edges of the brushes can provoke a violation of the integrity of the mucous membrane of the digestive tract and cause bleeding. In this scenario, the question “The child swallowed a cherry pit, what should I do?” no longer seems so harmless.

My child swallowed a plum pit, what should I do?

All young children are very inquisitive, because they have practically no experience. How can you make up for experience? That's right - practice. Therefore, during the first months of his life, a child tries to touch, smell, and taste everything. Parents should be attentive to what the baby is holding in his hands. If you see a small object in your child’s possession, try to replace it with a more interesting and larger one. Do not snatch it out of your hands under any circumstances, do everything carefully, without focusing attention on it. The baby may try to eat this item right away out of harm.

Situations often arise when a baby swallows a cherry or plum pit. At first glance, it may seem that the bone cannot cause any harm to the child. However, you must always be prepared for the fact that this small foreign body can cause a lot of problems. In such cases, you should not hope that everything will go away by itself.

What should not be done in such a situation?

You should not try to artificially induce vomiting in your baby or feed him laxative medications so that the fruit kernel comes out as quickly as possible. There is also no need to feed the child crusts of bread (parents, based on “grandmother’s” methods, often practice this method of pushing the bone). If the baby does not have any of the above signs of the need for medical intervention, adults should only be patient and wait for the bone to come out.

If the child’s symptoms indicate that it is necessary to call an ambulance, then parents should not try to remove the bone on their own. This can cause even more harm. There is no need to feed and water the baby until the doctors arrive.

What is the danger of swallowing a plum pit?

Many people believe that if a child swallows a bone, it will come out on its own. Don’t forget, a child is a tiny person and his body is still very small. Perhaps the bone will simply get stuck.

You can immediately reassure yourself - cherry pits belong to the group of harmless ones, but this does not mean that you can allow them to be eaten without stopping. And if the baby says that his tummy hurts or any other incomprehensible symptoms appear, call a doctor.

Another category of seeds that can be conditionally classified as dangerous are apricot or plum seeds: the kernels are quite large in size with sharp, uneven edges. Naturally, the chance of getting stuck or harming the baby increases many times over. What is required of parents is to carefully monitor behavior, pay attention to stool and complaints. Again, don’t give in to panic. Develop a course of action in such situations, but it is better to consult a doctor.

If possible, it is advisable to first remove all the seeds before giving the plum to your child - due to their uneven shape and sharp edges, they can harm the baby

First aid for a child choking on a plum pit

Situations when the baby does not swallow a bone, but with it, are considered especially dangerous.
Before the doctor arrives, parents can alleviate the child’s condition in the following ways. First, he is placed face down with his hands so that the baby's chin and back can be supported. Then the palms strike between the shoulder blades, forcing the bone to come out. If this does not happen, the child is placed on his back on his lap so that his head hangs down, and lightly presses on the chest area below the nipples. The second option for help can be provided like this. Both hands clasp the child's body and press on the area between the sternum. Making several sharp upward pushes, they try to squeeze out the stuck bone.

All little children need fruits and berries. They are the main source of vitamins and microelements necessary for life and normal metabolic processes in a child’s body. Caring parents know that all fruits should be given to young family members peeled and pitted. But what to do if a child swallows a pit from a cherry, cherry or plum? How dangerous is this condition, and how to help a child in such a situation?

The main mistakes that parents can make

Now let's look at all the information we need. Regardless of whether you notice or not that your child has swallowed a bone, you need to pay attention to the following symptoms:

• the child is suffocating: in this case, the bone has entered the trachea;
• the child cannot swallow: the bone is stuck in the esophagus;
• constant gag reflexes;
• the child complains of abdominal pain;
• blood in stool.

If you notice that a child has swallowed a bone, then there is no need to panic. You need to wait, as there is a high probability that it will come out naturally. There are many parental reviews and advice on this matter on social networks. According to many of them, the most important thing is to control the child’s feces. The bone usually comes out on its own within 12–48 hours without outside intervention.

What is strictly forbidden to do?

Now let's look at what doctors categorically forbid you to do. Most often, parents attempt to quickly remove the nucleus from the body - this is extremely undesirable. The child’s body is not strong and any outside intervention can lead to unforeseen consequences. Therefore, it is not advisable to use the following actions:

• give the child a laxative;
• cause gag reflexes;
• give food or liquid;
• use traditional methods.

Remember that these procedures will have consequences for the baby’s body. If a child swallows a foreign object, there is no need to rush to apply all the accumulated knowledge. In this case, the best help is to do nothing, at least until you see that everything is fine with the child or until he starts to complain.

If everything is fine, the child runs and jumps, then you just need to wait until the bone comes out on its own. Oddly enough, in such cases, parents most often give laxatives. This is not worth doing. This medicine is intended for completely different problems. It is worth remembering that a small portion of a laxative will not harm an adult, but for a child it can be poisonous.

Many parents have encountered the problem of their child swallowing foreign objects (bones). In most cases, everything worked out without consequences or injuries.

Unfortunately, it also happens differently - the child coughs, produces copious amounts of saliva, turns blue, and reflexively grabs his throat with his hands. In this case, the bone did not go far and got stuck somewhere. What to do in such a situation?

First aid for a child who is choking

First of all, you need to look into your mouth: perhaps the swallowed thing will be visible and you can easily get it out. If the object is not visible, then you should not put your fingers in the mouth - this may scare the child.

If the foreign body could not be removed and the child is suffocating, you need to place it on your hand so that the head is lower than the body and make five quick pressures between the shoulder blades. If this does not help, then we turn him over onto his back and apply sharp pressure with two fingers on the sternum. We wait for the sternum to restore its volume and apply sharp pressure again. We check to see if a foreign object is on the surface of the oral cavity. If the manipulations do not help, then turn the baby over again and clap between the shoulder blades.

First aid procedure

Video: how to help a child if he is choking?

Dr. Komarovsky shows by example how to provide first aid.

Video: Dr. Komarovsky’s advice when detecting foreign bodies in the respiratory tract

It's important not to panic! You shouldn’t raise your voice or scold your child, because next time he won’t tell you anything. Although the child is a small person, he is already proud, so he can endure for a long time until he becomes unbearable.

It is necessary to explain to the baby that you can’t put everything in your mouth. If you think that he doesn’t understand you, you’re wrong. And don’t forget to control what your child plays with and what he eats—you need to always be on guard.

• Ekaterina Isaenko

I have been working in the field of copywriting for more than three years. Initially, I wrote articles to fill my own resource with content, then to order. I'm currently on maternity leave.

Anyone can swallow a foreign body. Objects may be inhaled, swallowed, become lodged in the throat or stomach, or become embedded in soft tissue. Young children are at risk because they are characterized by increased curiosity. In many cases, the digestive tract processes the ingested item and it is naturally passed out of the body. In other cases, it may get stuck or cause injury along the way. If this happens, you need to see a doctor for treatment. Depending on the circumstances, surgery may be required.

When should you not postpone a visit to the doctor?

What to do if a child swallowed a cherry pit, but it was not found in his feces for two days? In this case, a visit to the doctor cannot be postponed. Also, you should not ignore the problem if other signs occur that indicate a foreign body in the baby’s body:

• the appearance of blood in the stool or a change in its color to dark (almost black);
• development of the urge to vomit, which is accompanied by pain behind the sternum;
• persistent pain in the abdominal area;
• complication of the process of swallowing food, during which pain and vomiting occur (a similar phenomenon is typical for cases when the bone is stuck at the level of the esophagus);
• if the bone gets into the respiratory tract, the child experiences a feeling of severe shortness of breath, intense coughing, and speech impairment.

Who is at risk of swallowing a foreign object

Toddlers and infants often explore and explore objects by placing them in their mouths. Most people who swallow a foreign body are children under 3 years of age.

Children often swallow small objects out of curiosity.

The likelihood that a child will swallow something potentially dangerous increases when adults have little or no supervision. The risk also increases when the following items are within reach:

• small toys or parts;
• coins;
• buttons and beads;
• small batteries or magnets;
• buttons;
• glass balls;
• small pebbles;
• fake nails;
• nuts;
• pins.

  Small parts that attract the attention of a child under 3 years old should be kept out of reach by adults.

Anything that fits inside a baby's mouth can end up in the digestive tract if no one is watching closely.

It is always necessary to carefully ensure that small objects are not in the baby’s field of vision - in the place where he usually plays. Moreover, you need to store such things out of the reach of a child.

Older children and adults can swallow objects to attract attention, also due to an absurd accident, including during play, due to an unstable mental state, etc. In the case of adults, foreign bodies are usually accidentally ingested along with food. For example, a number of health problems cause chewed pieces to get stuck in the esophagus, which often occurs in people with certain pathological changes in the gastrointestinal tract:

• stenosis, or narrowing of the esophagus (about 37%);
• malignant formation (about 10%);
• insufficiency of the lower esophageal sphincter (about 6%);
• achalasia - impaired ability to relax the sphincters (about 2% of cases).

The foreign bodies most commonly ingested by adults are fish and chicken bones. The clinical approach to the problem depends on the type of foreign body and the symptoms.

In approximately 80% of cases, the ingested object passes through the gastrointestinal tract without complications. Endoscopic examination is performed in approximately 20%, and surgery in less than 1% of cases.

Classification of foreign bodies

Before analyzing the algorithm for dealing with the accidental ingestion of a foreign object, it is reasonable to classify foreign bodies by material, size, shape and chemical composition, since these characteristics help determine the urgency of any intervention. Passage through the duodenum depends on the diameter as well as the size of the penetrating foreign body. Foreign objects with a length of more than 6 cm and a diameter of more than 2.5 cm impede the movement of contents through the duodenum.

Small objects can pass through the entire digestive tract without causing damage

In order to determine how dangerous a swallowed object is, you need to know the following parameters:

1. Size:
   length more/less than 6 cm.
2. Surface Shape:
   sharp/pointed-blunt;
3. rounded / with sharp or torn edges;
4. rounded/with smooth blunt edges.
5. Material/contents, for example:
   food related;
6. medicines;
7. batteries;
8. magnets;
9. plastic and rubber items (buttons and beads, cellophane, a piece of plastic).
10. Characteristics:
    radioactivity - yes / no;
11. metal - yes / no;
12. chemically inert - yes / no.

First of all, it should be noted that if a foreign object has at least one dangerous characteristic, it poses a threat. The risk increases several times if the object has several such characteristics (for example, at the same time: sharp, large, metal). And also the same item can be harmless for an adult, but pose a risk to the health of a child. For example, a plum pit is not dangerous if swallowed by an adult (less than 6 cm in length), but poses a threat to a baby (when it is more than 2 cm in length and has a sharp edge). Often, food-related objects can be harmless, if they are small, the gastrointestinal tract can process them along with the food bolus; but when the size is quite large, and the object itself is sharp, it can get stuck, injure or block any organ of the digestive tract.

Dangerous and non-hazardous foreign bodies - table

The danger of the items indicated in the table is relative. Even if the swallowed object passed through the esophagus smoothly, without causing immediate discomfort or pain, it is imperative to monitor your well-being until the foreign body leaves the body naturally (you need to make sure of this).

What to do if a child swallows a bone or object? First aid if a child is choking

Unfortunately, even the most loving, vigilant and caring parents are not always able to protect their children from all sorts of troubles. A very common cause of concern is objects swallowed by the baby. In the summer, the number of such occasions especially increases, since it is time for fruit, and it is not easy to keep an eye on the nimble little ones. What to do if a child swallows a pit from a plum (from an apricot, from a sweet cherry, from a cherry, from a cherry plum, etc.)? How dangerous is this really and how can I help my child? Let's talk about this.

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Content:

1. A child swallowed a plum pit, what should I do?

2. If a child swallows a bone: what not to do

3. If a child chokes: first aid

Video

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· A child swallowed a plum pit, what should I do?

In fact, no matter what kind of pit the child swallows: a plum pit, an apricot pit, a plum pit, a cherry pit or a cherry pit, the most important task facing parents is not to panic under any circumstances. If we take a plum pit as an example, it has sharp edges and is quite large, even by the standards of an adult. Therefore, with thoughtless careless actions, parents are more likely to harm their baby rather than help him. There is no need to try to remove a pit from a plum or a smaller fruit (from an apricot, from a cherry, from a cherry, from a cherry plum, etc.) that a child has swallowed. The best course of action for this is to call an ambulance.

In situations where a child has swallowed a plum pit, some parents are embarrassed to call doctors for such a “minor” reason or take a wait-and-see attitude – it will work itself out. This approach is also fundamentally wrong. We repeat: a plum pit that a child has swallowed is quite large in size and has sharp edges in order to cause serious problems for the baby’s health. Therefore, if a child swallows a pit from a plum (from an apricot, from a sweet cherry, from a cherry, from a cherry plum, etc.), call a doctor or take the baby to the hospital yourself!

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· If a child swallows a bone: what not to do

If a child has swallowed a bone, before the ambulance arrives, under no circumstances should you do the following:

1. give your child laxatives or emetics;
2. trying to push through a bone or object that the child has swallowed with a bread crust;
3. water or feed the baby.

If a child swallows an apricot/plum pit, and immediate medical attention is not possible for some reason, parents need to carefully monitor the baby and his well-being. You can no longer hesitate to visit the hospital if:

1. if the child complains of discomfort or pain in the tummy, which gets worse over time;
2. if the baby complains of nausea;
3. if there is repeated vomiting;
4. if there is blood in the child's stool.

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· If a child chokes: first aid

The situation when a child chokes on a bone or some small object is much more dangerous. You cannot watch indifferently and hesitate for a second here; urgent first aid is necessary, since we are talking about the life of a child. Call an ambulance without delay and provide first aid.

First aid if a child chokes on a bone contains the following steps:

- A baby under one year old should be placed face down on the forearm, supporting the chin and back with the same hand. Using the edge of the palm of your other hand, you need to apply several blows between the child’s shoulder blades - do this carefully so as not to injure the baby. If the swallowed bone does not come out, then turn the baby on his back, lay him head down on your lap and gently push him just below the nipples. A swallowed apricot pit (plum, sweet cherry, sour cherry, cherry plum, etc.) should come out with a cough-like spasm. If the child feels bad, he is choking, his lips begin to turn blue, then continue to do this until he spits out a foreign object or an ambulance arrives.

- A child over one year old should be wrapped around the body with his arms, placing his hands between the sternum and the navel, and sharp pressure should be applied to the stomach. Then make 4-5 sharp pushes in the upward direction, trying to squeeze out the stuck bone.

Yana Lagidna, especially for MyMom.ru

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And a little more about what to do if a child swallows or chokes on a bone, video:

How to understand that a foreign body has been swallowed

Symptoms of a swallowed foreign object are usually difficult to miss.

You will immediately notice if an object is blocking your airway. The most common signs are:

• suffocation;
• labored breathing;
• cough;
• wheezing

  The glottis is the most common location of foreign objects in the respiratory tract

If the child or adult swallows the item easily and does not get it into the throat, there will be no immediate symptoms. The object is already in the digestive tract. It will pass naturally, or symptoms will appear later if the body fails to eliminate the object.

In general, about 60% of foreign bodies become trapped at the oropharyngeal level (at the level of the oropharynx). In this case, a person clearly feels a certain object in his throat as if in a relatively clearly localized trap. Small, narrow and long objects, such as bones and toothpicks, often get stuck at this level, between the tonsils, back of the tongue and esophagus. Symptoms include:

• discomfort from mild to quite severe;
• drooling and inability to swallow.

If the stuck object is not removed in a timely manner, then a delayed manifestation of infection or tissue perforation (breakthrough) is possible.

Possible symptoms that occur when an object gets stuck in the esophagus:

• pain when swallowing;
• discomfort and sensation of a foreign object in the throat or esophagus;

  The sensation of a foreign object in the throat causes pain and discomfort

• salivation;
• vomit;
• urge to vomit (spasms);

  Gagging may indicate a foreign object stuck in the esophagus or below

• chest or throat pain;
• refusal to eat;
• fever.

If an object is stuck below the level of the esophagus, the symptoms will be somewhat different and not always clearly distinguishable:

• bloating and discomfort;
• fever;
• periodic vomiting;
• rectal bleeding;
• tarry stools or other symptoms of acute or subacute intestinal obstruction.

Sometimes even a piece of bone in food can lead to perforation of the esophagus and even damage to the heart sac and muscle. Signs and symptoms of perforation of the walls of the gastrointestinal tract are very severe and serious complications that require immediate medical intervention:

• acute mediastinitis - purulent inflammation of the mediastinal tissue - with chest pain, shortness of breath and severe odynophagia (pain associated with swallowing);

  Most often, a foreign object gets stuck in narrowed areas of the esophagus

• signs of pneumonitis (inflammation of the vascular wall of the alveoli);
• symptoms of inflammation of the peritoneum (perforation below the level of the esophagus).

An element stuck in the body for a long time without treatment can cause an infection, such as recurrent aspiration pneumonia - inflammation caused by the entry of foreign particles in a solid or liquid state into the bronchi and alveoli. This can lead to chest pain, coughing with phlegm, and wheezing. Sometimes these symptoms are accompanied by a high fever.

Extraction algorithm

It is important to consult a doctor if you swallow a foreign object, even if you think it may pass naturally. The doctor will do an x-ray to look for foreign bodies or a bronchoscopy to take a closer look at the airway. The latter is a procedure in which a specialist uses a thin tube with a camera.

Evaluation and treatment will depend on the type of foreign body. To search and remove a foreign object, the following types of medical examination are used:

• endoscopic;
• X-ray;

  Radiography is the main method of searching for foreign bodies

• ultrasonic;
• computer scan.

Doctors also consider other symptoms when making a diagnosis. If there are no acute manifestations and the person has time, it is advisable to write a list of signs indicating that a foreign object has been swallowed. Such a list will further help the doctor assess the danger of the situation.

First aid

If a person can barely breathe due to a foreign body, emergency treatment is usually required. A foreign object can be removed from the respiratory tract using the Heimlich maneuver.

Quick Facts:

• Choking is the fourth leading cause of unintentional death;
• performing the Heimlich maneuver can help save a person from suffocation;
• actions during the Heimlich maneuver differ for a conscious and unconscious person, for pregnant women and infants;
• the reception can be performed independently.

The Heimlich maneuver, or subphrenic-abdominal thrust, lifts the diaphragm, pushing air out of the lungs. This leads to the expulsion of the foreign object from the respiratory tract.

Regardless of who the technique was used on, that person should be examined by physicians at a later date. This ensures that there is no physical damage to the throat or airways.

Performing the Heimlich maneuver

First, it is necessary to determine whether the victim needs outside help to perform the Heimlich maneuver. If a person who appears to be choking is conscious and coughing, they may be able to remove the object themselves. Coughing is the most effective way to remove a foreign body. Outside assistance is required if the victim:

• does not cough;
• unable to speak or breathe;
• signals for help, usually by holding his hands to his throat.

First of all, if a bystander is present, you need to ask him to urgently call an ambulance. If there is only one person near the victim, then he immediately proceeds to the following steps:

1. Asks the injured person to stand up.
2. He himself stands behind him.
3. Tilts the victim face forward, while holding him in front on his stomach with his left hand.
4. With his right hand, he applies five blows with the soft part of the palm on the back between the shoulder blades (if within 5 blows the victim himself does not cough or the object does not fly out, then further steps follow).
5. The first aid provider, standing from behind, puts his hands on the victim’s waist and feels the tops of the iliac (pelvic) bones, at this level he brings his fingers together on the stomach of the choking person.
6. He gathers one hand into a fist and covers it with the palm of the other.
7. Pressing your whole body against the victim, crouching down, if necessary, makes several sharp pushes with your hands towards yourself and up.
   Performing the Heimlich maneuver does not eliminate the need to call an ambulance

The steps should be repeated until the item is removed and the person can breathe or cough on their own. Alternatively, if the person is unable to stand, you should grab them around the waist, facing the head. Push your fist inward and upward in the same way as if the victim were standing.

Help for a pregnant woman

For a pregnant woman, the hand should be placed slightly higher on the torso, around the base of her sternum. If the woman is unconscious, try to clear the airway by pressing the palm of your hand to the middle of the back and moving upwards.

Using the technique on an infant

If the affected child is under 1 year of age, other steps must be followed:

1. While sitting, hold the baby face down on your forearm, which should rest on your thigh.
2. Make 5 soft blows with the heel of your palm on the back.
3. If this does not work, position the child propped up on his forearm and thigh so that his head is lower than his torso.
4. Place two fingers in the center of his sternum and perform five quick chest compressions.
   Hitting the baby's back should be gentle but effective.

Repeat these manipulations until the object is removed and the child can breathe or cough on his own.

Applying the method on yourself

If a person is choking and there is no one nearby, he needs to do the following on his own:

1. Place your fist just above your navel, with your thumb facing you;
2. Clasp your fist with the palm of your other hand and simultaneously insert it inward and upward. Perform five such abdominal thrusts.

Repeat the movements until the foreign body is removed and breathing and cough are restored. You can also place your upper abdomen on a hard edge of an object, such as the corner of a table, counter, or the back of a chair.

Heimlich maneuver - video

When urgent medical attention is required

Immediate medical attention is required if a person swallows:

• a sharp object or having a cutting edge.
  They can puncture the esophagus or intestines, causing severe abdominal pain, fever, fainting and shock, resulting in peritonitis (inflammation of the peritoneum); Sharp objects can damage organs from the inside and cause bleeding
• battery (even a small one from a watch).
  It can cause damage to internal organs. Mercury can leak into the intestines and cause poisoning; Miniature batteries - button batteries - are very dangerous to swallow due to the mercury inside
• magnet. Swallowing magnets can cause significant problems, including intestinal blockages. If there are several of them, they pose a particular danger because they can stick together.

The above items should be removed immediately with the help of medical personnel on an outpatient basis. The doctor will determine how urgently it is necessary to remove the object, choosing the optimal solution for this, taking into account possible complications.

Home care

If the person is not choking on the foreign body and appears to have swallowed it completely, the doctor may decide to wait and see if the object passes through normally. The victim will need to monitor for symptoms such as vomiting, fever, or signs of pain. The stool should be constantly checked to ensure that the object has left the body.

Most foreign bodies pass through the gastrointestinal tract without complications, and endoscopic or surgical intervention is required in only 10 to 20 percent of cases.

Surgery

If a foreign object causes pain or damage to the intestine or esophagus, the problem requires emergency surgery or endoscopy to remove the object without puncturing the intestine or esophagus.

Endoscopy is a gentle surgical method

Endoscopy uses a small tube with a camera and tiny surgical instruments. The doctor inserts it into the mouth and guides it down the esophagus to remove the foreign object.

Urgent measures

Often emergency dispatchers hear, “A child swallowed a cherry pit, what should I do?” And the reaction to it is sometimes ambiguous. Naturally, in most cases, an ordinary cherry pit is not capable of causing any harm to a child’s body. But this is only at first glance. Sometimes a child may inadvertently inhale a foreign body, causing the child to develop symptoms of acute respiratory failure, a condition that requires immediate attention. What to do if the child did not swallow the cherry pit, but inhaled it through his nose or mouth?

Algorithm for providing first aid aimed at removing a foreign body (cherry pits) from the respiratory tract:

• stand behind the child and wrap your arms around him at waist level;
• clench your right palm into a fist and place it on your stomach between the costal arches and the navel;
• With the left palmar surface of the hand, grasp the right fist and make four pressures on the stomach in the direction from bottom to top;
• repeat the steps until the foreign body leaves the victim’s respiratory tract.

When looking for an answer to the question “A child swallowed a cherry pit, what should I do?”, it is important to remember that in severe cases, after successful first aid, the baby should be shown to doctors. To do this, you need to take him to the hospital. It is strictly forbidden to self-medicate a small patient or try to get rid of a bone by using laxatives, inducing a gag reflex, or drinking copious amounts of liquid.

Anyone who has watched a 1-3 year old child for at least a few days knows how difficult it is sometimes to prevent some dangerous situations. For example, when a child decides to taste the detergent or finds a sharp object and tries to put it in the spout, exploring the world. At this age, children are very inquisitive, and not always on the alert. More often, another instinct is triggered - that of a researcher, because the baby wants to know everything at once! But how can you make sure that children don’t eat what they don’t need? For example, if a child swallows a plum pit, how dangerous is that? Do I need to do something, or wait until she comes out on her own? What are the complications from such “food”?

What not to do

There are several common mistakes people make about themselves or a child who has swallowed a foreign body. This situation in itself is already stressful for the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, any non-indicated manipulations at home are prohibited. Such techniques include:

• taking a laxative;
• administering an enema;
  An enema is prohibited when a foreign object is swallowed
• “shaking out” an object without knowledge of special techniques. It can cause harm because the object will go deeper and it will become more difficult to get it out;
• “pushing” an object with other food or independently “picking” with improvised means. This can cause the stuck object to move lower and block the esophagus.

Possible consequences and complications

Most patients who ingest a foreign body will not have any significant complications. But sometimes they are possible. And more likely 12 hours after ingestion of foreign objects, including sharp objects.

Children who swallow button batteries are at high risk of esophageal death. If such a scenario is suspected, parents should seek help immediately.

Perforation of the esophagus leads to purulent inflammation of the mediastinum

Clear, small, lightweight objects such as bottle caps and beer can rings often end up in the esophagus and do not show up on X-rays. The longer they stay there, the higher the likelihood of injury and infection, as well as other complications. Such objects should be looked for using computed tomography or endoscopy.

Complications can be represented by inflammation of any part of the gastrointestinal tract, depending on the location of the swallowed object. Appendicitis (inflammation of the appendix of the cecum) is common.

Sometimes a swallowed needle can enter the bloodstream, end up near the lung or heart and make a hole in it. In this situation, only urgent surgical intervention can save a person from death.

Perforation of the internal walls of any organ of the gastrointestinal tract is also a serious complication, since this leads to rapid intoxication of the body and sepsis, with a high probability of death if medical assistance is not provided in time.

A strip of air under the diaphragm is a sign of perforation of a hollow organ

It is always easier to prevent this problem by keeping small items out of the reach of babies and toddlers. Adults and teens should avoid putting small things in their mouths—especially those that can slide down their throats and block their airways. It should be remembered that no one is immune from accidentally swallowing a foreign object.

People of all ages can swallow foreign objects. In most cases, the digestive system will process the foreign body naturally and the body will eliminate it within seven days without any damage. However, an object that does not leave the body can cause organ damage or inflammation over time. Even if you are not worried about anything after accidentally ingesting something unusual, you should definitely make an appointment with a doctor to make sure your body is safe.

• Anatoly Kupriyanov

Hello, I am Anatoly, I am 35 years old, medicine is the choice of more than one generation of my family and for me it is not just science, but a part of life.

Features of the child's esophagus. When should you not push an object?

If it “travels” through the organs of the gastrointestinal tract. But its first obstacle is three physiological bends of the esophagus. All children and adults have this organ of individual size and diameter. Small children may experience narrowness of any of the bends. Sometimes in such cases the bone becomes across and does not allow either liquid or food to pass through.

Is it dangerous to swallow a plum pit? The danger arises when it blocks the windpipe (not being there, the bone compresses it), and breathing immediately becomes difficult, making it impossible to try to push food through it or take a sip of liquid.