1. Stay calm: Panicking can make it harder to react appropriately.
2. Assess for immediate symptoms: Check for signs of distress such as choking, gagging, difficulty breathing, coughing, drooling, or inability to swallow.
- If your child is experiencing trouble breathing, is coughing repeatedly, gagging, turning blue, or cannot speak or cry, call 911 immediately . If your child is choking, consider performing the Heimlich maneuver (abdominal thrusts) or back blows and chest thrusts for infants under 1 year old, [according to Hilliard Pediatrics].
3. Seek medical advice even if there are no immediate symptoms: Even if your child appears fine, it’s crucial to seek medical advice from your pediatrician or a healthcare professional to assess the situation.
- Do not try to induce vomiting or give your child a laxative.
- Do not try to remove the coin with your fingers as it could be pushed further down and cause more harm.
- The doctor may recommend an X-ray to locate the coin and determine if any intervention is needed.
- If the coin is in the stomach and the child is asymptomatic, it often passes naturally in the stool within a few days. You may be advised to monitor their bowel movements for the coin.
- If the coin is lodged in the esophagus, it may need to be removed to prevent complications such as esophageal perforation. Endoscopic removal is a common procedure for this.
4. When to seek immediate emergency care: Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately if your child has swallowed a button battery or multiple magnets. These items can cause severe damage quickly and require urgent removal. Additionally, if your child swallowed a penny issued after 1982, it may contain corrosive zinc and warrant immediate attention.
5. Consider calling Poison Control: For questions or guidance, you can contact the Poison Control Center for assistance at 1-800-222-1222.
Important reminders:
- Keeping a close watch on young children and minimizing access to small, easily swallowable objects is important to prevent such incidents.
- Remember, coins are a common object children swallow, but most cases resolve without serious complications. However, prompt medical evaluation and careful monitoring are crucial to ensure your child’s safety and well-being.
Should I take my kid to the ER if he swallowed a coin?
Great question! “If your child has swallowed a penny, or any coin, take her to your pediatrician or the emergency room right away,” says Charles Howell, MD, a pediatric surgeon at MCG Children’s Hospital, in Augusta, Georgia.
What happens if a toddler swallows a coin?
If the coin lodges in the esophagus, your child will exhibit signs of increased salivation, difficulty swallowing, vomiting, neck pain, chest pain or coughing. These, too, are extremely alarming — and the child should be brought to the ER immediately.
How do doctors remove swallowed coins?
Great question! It is removed using an endoscopic grasping instrument. Coins are the most common foreign body in children that require removal from the esophagus.