Inhalation and Inhalation of Foreign Objects
Children under three are exploring their world by putting as many objects in their mouths as possible. These are mostly young children from six months to four years who are involved in in inhalation; boys twice as often as girls.
Most of these little swallowed objects, such as food (especially nuts, garlic and carrot pieces), toys and coins will easily pass the digestive tube. Once the transition from the oesophage to the stomach is successful, the objects will be excreted within a few hours with the saddles. This process can be supported by a fiber-rich food and plenty of drinks.
Exceptions of objects to be eliminated by endoscopic path are:
Button batteries: It’s not the alkaline substance that comes out that’s dangerous, but a current flow that can trigger into the digestive tube. Negative hydroxyde ions can be released by liquid hydrolysis. As a first aid measure, American doctors advise giving honey to swallow. According to experimental studies, honey helps to limit the damage to the mucus.
Two or more game magnets: they need to be recovered before they reach the gut, where they are no longer possible to reach. Magnets are at risk of sticking the intestinal mousse with adhesives and damaging it. A single magnet no problem.
If objects are stuck in the esophage, they are rather foreign objects of a certain size, irregular, points or with a sharp edge causing ingestion injuries or that risk of hanging on. These are often buttons, game magnets, or food of a certain size. If the foreign body gets stuck in the upper part of the esophage, at a distance near the trachete, the sprain and/or trachete may be narrowed and cause respiratory problems or asphyxia. Pneumonia or other complications can develop within 24 hours. The more a stuck foreign object passes time to a certain extent, the greater the risk of consecutive damage such as a measles injury, bleeding or infection.
The following symptoms can be a sign of an ingested or inhaled object: a sudden cough with a respiratory distress without a sign of infection. Noises accompanying breathing like a sneezing, slipping or worrying, possibly blueberry lips due to lack of oxygen, clogged voice, choking, confused vomiting, pain to swallow, saliva, agitation, do sore throat and under sternum, stomach ache.
Inhalation and/or ingestion of foreign objects of infants and young children with described symptoms is an emergency and require immediate medical help! Call the emergency number 144 stating that this is a child (baby).
Immediate action:
Push your head forward and let it cough.
Holding infants with the belly on the forearm, head facing down.
Strike vigorously with a flat hand on the back, between the omoplates or shaking the child. WARNING: Support the head of children under one year old (risk of shaken babies trauma).
From second grade, hold the child by the back and press with fists on the lower belly to support foreign body spitting (secret gesture).
If it is not possible to remove the respiratory obstruction, we have to return the child, place it on the thigh and start chest compression (heart massage) with 2-3 fingers. At the same time open your mouth, and try carefully with the index in order to find foreign objects.
If the cough persists (even if an object is spitted), it will definitely be necessary to consult a doctor! In case of an emergency, a child must be examined and the object must be removed. This is done in the hospital using a clamp or if the object is placed lower, with a catheter or flexible endoscope under general anesthesia.
Never try to remove a foreign object still visible in the mouth with your finger. You would just push the object back.