1. Stay calm: Panicking can make it harder to assess the situation and assist your child.
2. Check for immediate symptoms: Look for signs of distress such as coughing, gagging, drooling, or difficulty swallowing or breathing.
3. If the child is having trouble breathing or showing signs of choking:
- Call 911 immediately.
- Do not attempt blind finger sweeps to remove the object, [according to Hilliard Pediatrics].
- Perform the Heimlich maneuver (abdominal thrusts) to dislodge the coin if necessary.
- For infants under 1 year old, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 5 back blows followed by 5 chest thrusts.
4. If the child is breathing normally and not showing signs of distress:
- Seek medical advice: Contact your pediatrician or go to an emergency room even if the child seems fine, as a medical evaluation is needed to determine the coin’s location and potential risks. Do not try to treat at home or assume the object will pass on its own.
A healthcare provider will likely perform a physical examination and take X-rays to locate the coin.
- If the coin is in the esophagus, it may require immediate endoscopic removal.
- If the coin has reached the stomach and the child has no symptoms, it often passes naturally, and parents are usually advised to monitor stools.
- Swallowing button batteries requires immediate emergency care due to the risk of severe damage.
- Pennies made after 1982 contain zinc, which can be corrosive to the esophagus.
- Do not induce vomiting or give laxatives.
- Keep the child hydrated and monitor for new or worsening symptoms.
Call the Poison Control Center at 800-222-1222 for any questions or concerns.
Should I take my kid to the ER if he swallowed a coin?
“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.