My baby has swallowed something, what should I do?
You just realized that your baby has swallowed something and you do not know what to do. The first thing is to stay calm and observe how your child reacts. For this, we give you a series of guidelines to determine if you have to take him immediately to the Emergency Room because he is drowning or if you can help him to expel the object.
Your baby has taken a thumbtack on the floor and put it in her mouth, but you suspect she swallowed it. Well, the first thing you have to do is observe what symptoms it presents and visualize your mouth well to see if you can extract it without excessive difficulty.
Two reactions in the baby when he has swallowed something
In the event that you have not gotten it out of your mouth and therefore swallowed it, you may observe two reactions:
1. I may start coughing and then, you have to wait for a little bit to pass because he swallowed something that irritated him. But coughing does not mean that you are drowning but that it is the result of irritation.
2. In case you do not cough and start having difficulty breathing, you should immediately take the child and take him to the emergency room or call 112. While the medical help arrives, place your baby face down on your knees, holding his head with one hand and beating him four times in a row in the back, between both shoulder blades. Go back again to see if the object can now expel it through your mouth.
Sharp objects: consequences for the baby
Keep in mind that sharp objects such as thumbtacks, a piece of glass or a pin that seem very dangerous, do not always cause injuries since the digestive system swells to defend itself and consequently, does not stick to any side of the digestive walls or intestinal.
As a general rule, 80% of foreign bodies that your baby can ingest usually pass without difficulty through the digestive system and are eliminated days later with faeces.
Take special care also with nuts and when you are going to prepare for example the appetizer. Try not to fall to the ground. Your child can swallow them and they are products that have a lot of oil and irritate the esophagus.
Toxic products: consequences for the baby
Choking occurs in two ways: in the trachea or esophagus. When the products that the little one ingests advance through the trachea, it is called aspiration. It is, in these cases, when you have to go to a hospital immediately because your little one can drown. But in the event that you swallow a coin, for example, and do it through the usual conduit that is the esophagus, you have to take him to have an x-ray and monitor each and every one of his stools, providing adequate food, especially rich in fiber. In these cases, many pediatricians usually prescribe a laxative.
However, if your child has accidentally drunk bleach, ammonia, cologne or any other toxic product that can cause poisoning, it is important that you go as quickly as possible to the nearest health center, to do a stomach wash.
What you should never do when your baby has swallowed something
You should never hit your child on the back or shake him if he is coughing, because you can make the object he has ingested get stuck. For this, the most important and fundamental is prevention, so it is essential that your baby does not have access to any small object around him.
Tips to prevent your baby from accidentally swallowing something
1. Where do you usually leave the sewing box or the tool box? Always store them in a closed place where your baby does not have access of any kind.
2. Choose appropriately what will be the gambles that your child will use and buy only those that are approved for their age. If you have more children, make sure that small objects, such as marbles, are always out of your baby's reach.
3. Think of a suitable place for your child to play with a lot of toys at your fingertips. To do this, you can set up a small park in a corner of the house where you can watch while doing other tasks in the house.
4. Surveillance has to be more intensive when he starts to crawl and walk. He begins to move from one place to another and to take everything he finds in his way. So try to have everything collected and not leave anything on the floor.
5. The kitchen is one of the places where you have to be more careful. Keep it always collected, trying to store all dangerous objects on the highest shelves. Do not forget that if you want to have your child in the kitchen when you are, you should put it inside the park or have it always in your sight.
Macarena Funes
Advisor: Consuelo Sánchez. Pediatrician of the Millenium Center of Sanitas of Madrid
